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ElevenLabs Licenses Stan Lee AI Voice, Pulls Release After Backlash

5/28/2026

27 2 Full Breakdown

Summary

ElevenLabs adds StanLee

ElevenLabs signed a deal with Stan Lee Universe to add the late creator’s voice and likeness to its Marketplace.
The AI model, trained on professional Stan Lee recordings, is offered for commercial licensing through the Marketplace.
A visual generator lets users create comic-style images of Lee for non-commercial projects only.
ElevenLabs, valued at $11 billion after a $500 million Series D round, removed its press release after fan criticism.

Summary

AI Revives Legends

ElevenLabs signed a 2025 deal to recreate Michael Caine’s voice, showing AI’s use to resurrect deceased celebrities.
Genius Brands International and POW! Entertainment jointly own a venture that will use AI to replicate Stan Lee’s voice and likeness.
Board member Chaz Rainey says the partnership keeps Lee’s voice, image and storytelling passion in fans’ hands, preserving his legacy through AI.

History

Historical Context

The rise of audio deepfakes, highlighted by early scams (2019 German CEO impersonation, 2020 $35 million fraud), spurred regulatory warnings (2023 FTC alert, 2024 FCC ban) and research programs (DARPA’s SemaFor, Italy’s PREMIER). Now ElevenLabs commercializes licensed AI voices of Stan Lee and Michael Caine, marking a shift from threat to monetized likeness.

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ElevenLabs adds StanLee

ElevenLabs signed a deal with Stan Lee Universe to add the late creator’s voice and likeness to its Marketplace.
The AI model, trained on professional Stan Lee recordings, is offered for commercial licensing through the Marketplace.
A visual generator lets users create comic-style images of Lee for non-commercial projects only.
ElevenLabs, valued at $11 billion after a $500 million Series D round, removed its press release after fan criticism.

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