Prime Video Tests AI Dubbing: Voice Actors’ Concerns Become Reality

Just a few months ago, on February 27, we shared a warning from ANAD (Italy’s National Association of Dubbing Actors) about the potential risks of Artificial Intelligence replacing human voice work in the name of cost-cutting. That warning wasn’t about a distant future — and now it’s becoming reality. Prime Video has launched a pilot program in the United States that uses AI to dub non-original films and TV series.

A Pilot Project: 12 Titles Dubbed by AI

For now, the initiative is limited to the U.S. market and available only in English and Latin American Spanish. It covers twelve non-original, lower-profile titles, which, according to Prime Video, "would not have been dubbed otherwise." The stated goal is to make these films and shows more accessible to a broader audience, even if they weren’t deemed a priority for traditional localization methods.

How AI Dubbing Works

On Amazon’s official blog, the project is described as a “hybrid approach”, where AI works alongside human localization professionals to ensure acceptable quality. In their words:

“AI-assisted processes like this, incorporating the right amount of human expertise, can enable localization for titles that would otherwise remain inaccessible to customers.”

It sounds reassuring—but it raises key questions: What voices are being used? Are they synthetic voice samples? Were the voice donors properly informed and compensated?

There’s a very real risk that actors’ vocal performances could be sampled and digitized, turning their voices into reusable data. In countries like Italy, where voice acting is both an art and a profession, this practice would likely meet strong legal and union resistance.

A Precedent That Marks a Turning Point

While YouTube has already explored similar tools, this move by Prime Video represents a much more significant precedent. Though limited to minor titles for now, the symbolic weight is enormous: this may be the beginning of a profound transformation in the dubbing industry.

In countries with a deep-rooted dubbing tradition, like Italy, France, Germany, and Spain, this could spark a cultural and legal battle over the rights to one’s own voice.

The languages involved may be few, and the titles relatively obscure, but the direction is clear. We are no longer talking about hypothetical scenarios — this is a paradigm shift already in motion.