AI Technology to Preserve Goku’s Voice in Dragon Ball Franchise

On October 7, 2024, Aoni Production and CoeFont revealed their partnership to transform the voice data of Masako Nozawa, renowned for her role as the voice of Son Goku in Dragon Ball, into multilingual AI voices. These advanced AI voices are intended for use in voice assistants, navigation systems, and other related technologies.

With the rising interest in generative AI, discussions have begun regarding the respectful integration of voice actors’ distinctive traits into AI systems. To address these concerns, Aoni Production and CoeFont have initiated a collaboration aimed at preventing unauthorized use of voice actors’ unique vocal attributes.

Preservation of Masako Nozawa’s Voice

Voice Actor Masako Nozawa from Dragon Ball (Image via Aoni Production)

On the same day, the two companies announced their strategy to implement AI voice technology globally. This initiative will see 10 Aoni Production voice actors, including Masako Nozawa, contribute their voice data to develop multilingual AI voices, encompassing languages like English and Chinese.

These high-quality AI-generated voices are intended for incorporation into platforms such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, as well as robotic navigation systems. The goal is to harness generative AI capabilities while minimizing instances of unauthorized imitation of voice actors’ distinct vocal qualities. This partnership also represents a pioneering effort to establish regulations that safeguard the rights of performers within the industry.

Son Goku in the anime series (Image via Toei Animation)

With this collaboration underway, fans may wonder if such generative AI technologies might eventually extend into voice acting roles. The companies have clarified their position, stating that they will not venture into voice acting or performance for animation and dubbed films.

This clarification ensures that the voice data transformed into multilingual AI voices will solely support voice assistants and navigation tools, distinctly separating AI voice technology from performance aspects. Consequently, the unique qualities of voice actors will remain intact even beyond their professional timelines.

The companies emphasize that the insights gained from their collaboration will not be confined to just the two of them but will aim to foster constructive relationships between AI voice technology and performers, both in Japan and globally.

Through these initiatives, the partnership is poised to promote the advancement of voice recognition technology and encourage broader adoption of services featuring beloved voice actors’ performances.

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