Former NPR Host David Greene Sues Google Over AI Voice Cloning

David Greene, a former host of NPR’s "Morning Edition," has filed a lawsuit against Google, accusing the tech giant of using his voice without consent to train its artificial intelligence systems. The complaint, filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court, alleges that Google’s new AI podcast tool mimics Greene’s distinct speaking style and cadence with alarming accuracy.

Greene stated that he was "completely freaked out" after hearing the AI-generated audio, noting that it sounded as if he were reading the text himself. This emotional reaction underscores the personal violation felt by broadcast professionals when their vocal identities are seemingly replicated by algorithms.

The lawsuit claims that Google utilized vast archives of professional radio content to train its generative models without securing the necessary licenses or permissions. Attorneys for Greene argue that this practice constitutes a misappropriation of his likeness and a violation of his rights of publicity under California law.

This legal battle represents a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between content creators and technology companies developing generative AI tools. As tech giants race to improve their audio capabilities, the unauthorized use of copyrighted material and personal data has become a central point of contention in courts nationwide.

The controversy centers on Google’s NotebookLM, a tool that can transform documents into conversational audio summaries resembling a podcast between two hosts. While Google describes the voices as generic, Greene contends that one of the male voices is unmistakably modeled after his decades of public broadcasting work.

If successful, this lawsuit could set a major precedent regarding how human voices and likenesses are harvested to build commercial AI products. Legal experts suggest that the outcome may force technology companies to fundamentally change how they source training data for their audio models.

Media organizations and unions are closely watching the case, fearing that AI clones could eventually replace human hosts if left unregulated. The lawsuit seeks not only financial damages but also an injunction to stop Google from using Greene’s voice in its current or future applications.

Google has yet to issue a detailed public response to the specific allegations regarding Greene’s voice, though the company generally maintains that its models are trained on publicly available data. As the case proceeds, it will likely serve as a bellwether for the future of intellectual property rights in the age of artificial intelligence.