Voice actor of Empresses in the Palace outraged after AI voice misuse for profit, vows legal action

(Beijing, 22nd) Renowned Chinese voice actress Ji Guanlin, known for dubbing iconic roles such as Zhen Huan in Empresses in the Palace and Dongfang Bubai (played by Joe Chen) in The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, has long been recognized for her highly distinctive voice, earning her the title “the voice behind the stars.” Her portrayal of Zhen Huan, in particular, became widely celebrated, with its gentle yet authoritative tone turning into a hallmark frequently imitated and remixed online.

However, with the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, concerns over voice misuse have emerged. On the 21st, Ji Guanlin issued a rare public statement on Weibo, revealing that in recent years, individuals and organizations have unlawfully extracted her voice and used AI technology to synthesize audio closely resembling her, even applying it in commercial projects and derivative creations—actions she described as serious violations of her legal rights.

In her statement, she outlined three key positions: she has never granted authorization for AI-generated voice use, strictly prohibits any such activities, and will pursue legal action against infringements. She stressed that no entity or individual has been permitted to use her voice for AI synthesis or any form of content production or distribution.

She further clarified that without formal written consent, any use of her voice for AI imitation, synthesis, reproduction, or modification—whether for commercial or non-commercial purposes—is strictly forbidden. She also emphasized that all AI-generated content currently circulating online is unauthorized and urged the public to refrain from sharing or using such material.

Ji Guanlin added that she bears no responsibility for any unauthorized AI-generated content. Should such actions damage her reputation or personal rights, she will take legal action accordingly. She also called on individuals and organizations to immediately cease infringement and remove related content, while urging platforms to respond promptly to reports, in order to protect creators’ rights and uphold ethical standards in the AI era.