German Voice Actors Launch Campaign Against AI-Generated Voices in Dubbing

Prominent voice actors warn of job losses, ethical concerns, and declining quality as AI technologies gain traction in the dubbing industry.

The Verband Deutscher Sprecher:innen e. V. (VDS) and leading voice actors released a video campaign on April 1, 2025, highlighting the risks of replacing human voices with AI-generated alternatives.
Voice actors claim that AI systems have been trained on their voices without consent, raising legal and ethical concerns about intellectual property and artistic freedom.
AI-generated dubbing has faced criticism for lacking emotional depth and cultural nuance, with notable failures like Deutsche Telekom pulling an AI-dubbed series in February 2025 due to poor quality.
Major platforms such as Prime Video and YouTube are testing AI dubbing technologies, intensifying fears about job losses in Germany's €100 million dubbing industry.
The VDS is urging public and institutional support to protect the creative integrity of dubbing and ensure the continued use of human voices in film and television.