November 12, 2025
Black Mirror, now with trademarks
Eleven Labs Debuts "Iconic Marketplace" Feat Michael Caine, Judy Garland, Others
Fans split: ElevenLabs licenses legendary voices — "TM on ghosts?"
TLDR: ElevenLabs launched a marketplace to license AI versions of famous voices with commercial rights. The community’s split: some want controlled, paid access, while many call trademarked, posthumous voices creepy and wrong, turning the debate into a flashpoint over how AI treats legacies and consent.
ElevenLabs just rolled out an Iconic Marketplace where creators can license AI versions of famous voices — think Michael Caine, Judy Garland, Maya Angelou, even Alan Turing. The pitch: approved, commercial rights and endless creative tweaks. The vibe online: a chaotic mash-up of wow, yikes, and why are we trademarking the afterlife. One user dubbed it “classic shovel mentality,” calling ElevenLabs a middleman for celebrity IP, while another saw Alan Turing™ and felt the Black Mirror chills. The sharpest line in the sand? People are cool with living celebs licensing their own voices, but voices of the dead triggered full-on moral whiplash. Some nostalgics asked for Majel Barrett (Star Trek’s computer) and wondered why her phonetic recordings haven’t been used, turning the thread into a sci‑fi séance meet-up. The memes came hot: “Ouija board meets legal team,” “TM on ghosts,” and a lot of “Yikes”. Supporters argue it’s better to pay estates than let bootlegs run wild; critics say slapping a ™ next to a pioneer’s name feels hollow and inhuman. Whether you call it innovation or imitation, the comment section agreed on one thing: ElevenLabs just poked the biggest hornet’s nest in AI entertainment.
Key Points
- •ElevenLabs launched the Iconic Marketplace for licensing AI voices and IP of notable figures.
- •Creators can request licensing and, upon approval, receive commercial usage rights across media.
- •The platform connects creators with rights holders to facilitate proper permissions.
- •The marketplace offers tools for nuanced voice performance control and variations.
- •A curated roster includes figures such as Maya Angelou, Judy Garland, Michael Caine, Alan Turing, and others, with new icons added regularly.