3-4-2024 (SINGAPORE) Singaporean actor-director Aaron Aziz has taken legal action against four social media accounts accused of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to replicate his voice for selling T-shirts. Based in Malaysia, the 48-year-old has also reported the matter to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
In an interview with Malaysian media, Aziz described the process as “unlike a normal crime case.” After submitting a report to the police, he was directed to file another report with the MCMC. “It’s a very tedious process as they need some time to track down the (scammers’) IP addresses,” he stated, as reported by Malay Mail.
Both reports were lodged on Mar 11, and Aziz is currently awaiting updates on the investigation.
Aziz revealed that his initial encounter with the scam involved a TikTok video featuring a photo of him and an AI-generated voice promoting polo T-shirts. “They were selling the T-shirts for RM1 (S$0.28). It doesn’t make sense, and it is my name that is affected as people think I’m the one selling it,” he lamented.
Although the video was removed after Aziz contacted the user, it resurfaced shortly after. Additionally, Aziz faced challenges when attempting to trace the culprits through T-shirt manufacturers, who claimed difficulty in tracking them due to their operation through numerous agents and affiliates.
Expressing his frustration, Aziz called for swifter action from the MCMC and proposed the establishment of a “special unit” to address such cases, citing the impact on other personalities as well.
