ElevenLabs opens a marketplace for iconic AI voices

ElevenLabs has launched the Iconic Voice Marketplace, an online platform for companies to license AI-generated voices of famous people, including John Wayne, Judy Garland, and Mickey Rooney.

Businesses can use these voices for ads and other content, while users can listen to content read aloud in the Reader app. ElevenLabs describes the marketplace as a "consent-based, performer-first approach," connecting companies directly with rights holders.

The company acts as an intermediary and handles licensing agreements to ensure fair pay and transparency. Only verified talent and IP owners are eligible, so the platform features only well-known voices.

Rights holders must first give their consent before commercial use. | Elevenlabs

Rights holders must approve any commercial use in advance. Companies browse a curated catalog, submit a request, and connect directly with rights holders to set terms. Once approved, ElevenLabs' technology powers the project and delivers the results. More details are on the marketplace website.

The marketplace launched with 28 voices, including living celebrities like Michael Caine and Liza Minnelli, and historical figures like Mark Twain, Thomas Edison, and Alan Turing, whose voices were recreated from archival recordings. While open source cloning tools make it tough for rights holders to control their voice, the marketplace gives them a way to profit from their own likeness.

ElevenLabs also announced that actor Matthew McConaughey has been an investor in the company for some time, reflecting growing interest in AI voice technology from the entertainment industry.

The release comes just after Eleven v3 launched in June, introducing better voice synthesis, audio tags for whispering and laughing, and more natural multi-speaker dialog in over 70 languages. ElevenLabs is also expanding its reach: Anthropic uses ElevenLabs technology for voice output in its Claude assistant.