ElevenLabs Launches Celebrity Voice Licensing

ElevenLabs has launched the Iconic Voice Marketplace, enabling companies to license AI-generated voices of celebrities and historical figures through consent-based commercial agreements. Oscar winners Michael Caine and Matthew McConaughey signed as launch partners, joining a roster of 28 voices spanning entertainment, literature, and history.

The New York-based voice AI startup positions the marketplace as an ethical alternative to unauthorized voice cloning tools proliferating across social media. Every performer or estate signs a bespoke contract before ElevenLabs trains an AI model on their voice. Rights holders maintain approval authority over usage, reviewing scripts within an average of 72 hours according to the company’s announcement.

The marketplace supports 29 languages and handles licensing negotiations between brands and rights holders. ElevenLabs synthesizes and delivers voice tracks while watermarking each file for traceability. Internal review processes screen requests to prevent political or defamatory usage.

Commercial Rights and Revenue Model

Brands negotiate individual licensing terms covering usage windows, geographic territories, emotional range capabilities, and distribution channels. Every voice includes commercial rights for premium storytelling across various media formats, from advertisements to AI-generated content for social media.

The initial roster features Caine, Maya Angelou, Alan Turing, Liza Minnelli, Art Garfunkel, and Mark Twain. Historical figures’ voices were recreated from archival recordings in partnership with estates and agencies including CMG Worldwide.

Matthew McConaughey joined ElevenLabs as an investor and is using the company’s technology to create a Spanish audio version of his newsletter, Lyrics of Livin’, in his own voice. Unlike Caine, McConaughey’s voice is not available for licensing through the Iconic Marketplace.

Michael Caine’s voice is available through both the Iconic Marketplace for commercial licensing and the ElevenReader app for narration.

ElevenLabs reported annual recurring revenue beyond $200 million as of September 2025, positioning celebrity voice licensing as a recurring revenue engine. The company operates a two-sided platform connecting brands with talent representatives, formalizing deals that ensure “permission, transparency, and fair compensation” according to CEO Mati Staniszewski.

Industry Context and Forward Outlook

The marketplace addresses growing tensions around AI voice cloning in entertainment. Previous incidents of unauthorized celebrity voice replication sparked legal threats and industry calls for consent-based frameworks. ElevenLabs’ approach gives rights holders control over synthetic versions of their voices while creating a formal licensing channel for commercial use.

Caine described the technology’s potential in the partnership announcement: “It’s not about replacing voices; it’s about amplifying them, opening doors for new storytellers everywhere.” The 91-year-old actor’s voice represents one of the first living celebrities available for commercial licensing through an AI marketplace.

The platform competes with emerging voice licensing models from AI audio generation companies while establishing legal precedent for synthetic voice rights. ElevenLabs continues adding voices to the marketplace, with brands able to request access through the Iconic Marketplace website.

Correction [November 14, 2025]: An earlier version of this article stated that Matthew McConaughey’s voice was available on the Iconic Marketplace and ElevenReader app. McConaughey is an investor in ElevenLabs and uses the technology for his newsletter, but his voice is not available for licensing. The article has been updated.