McConaughey and Caine Forge AI Audio Deal with ElevenLabs

Two giants of the screen, Oscar winners Matthew McConaughey and Michael Caine, are signing a major deal with the AI audio company ElevenLabs. This partnership allows the New York-based firm to generate AI versions of its instantly recognisable voices, addressing a core ethical hurdle as artificial intelligence intersects with Hollywood.

McConaughey, who has also an investor and collaborator with ElevenLabs since 2022, now permits the company to convert his newsletter, Lyrics of Livin’, into an audio version in Spanish, all in his own AI voice.

McConaughey also expressed his enthusiasm, stating he was “impressed” by ElevenLabs and hoped the collaboration would help him “reach and connect with even more people.”

Why This Marketplace Matters

The core of this strategy lies in the new Iconic Voices Marketplace launched by ElevenLabs. This platform allows major brands to officially license and use celebrity voices, generated by AI, for commercial purposes. Caine’s unmistakable voice is now a key part of this initial roster.

Caine framed the agreement not as replacement, but as preservation and expansion.

“For years, I’ve lent my voice to stories that moved people, tales of courage, of wit, of the human spirit,” Caine reflected in his statement. “Now, I’m helping others find theirs. With ElevenLabs, we can preserve and share voices, not just mine, but anyone’s.”

He drove the point home, noting the company is “using innovation not to replace humanity, but to celebrate it,” and that the goal is “not about replacing voices; it’s about amplifying them.”

Is the future of celebrity audio now about reach and replication, rather than mere physical performance?

Who Else Is Joining the AI Audio Roster?

The Iconic Voices Marketplace includes a remarkably diverse line-up. The roster spans iconic figures who have passed, such as John Wayne, Rock Hudson, and Judy Garland, alongside living legends like Liza Minnelli and Art Garfunkel. The list also features historical luminaries such as Amelia Earhart, Babe Ruth, J Robert Oppenheimer, Maya Angelou, and Alan Turing.

This breadth demonstrates a significant market potential. How will brands leverage the voices of historical and cultural icons for modern campaigns?

ElevenLabs recently secured a valuation hovering around $6.6 billion, signalling strong investor confidence in the AI audio sector.