Siobhán McSweeney and Nicola Coughlan have backed a British-run campaign to ban the use of artificial intelligence (AI) voice cloning.The Save Our Voices Now campaign is seeking legislation to stop the practice of using AI technology to replicate a real person’s voice to say anything it is prompted to. It has been increasingly used online and in advertising.The campaign is also backed by actors, artists and comedians including Niamh Cusack, Matt Lucas, Hugh Bonneville, Luke Evans and Jen Brister. “I’m deeply worried that legislation, contracts, working practices and ethics, and artists’ rights are not being considered or protected as quickly as AI technology is progressing,” said McSweeney, who starred in Derry Girls with Coughlan and will shortly host the second Irish series of The Traitors.“I believe that there is a way to work alongside AI and to use it as a tool that benefits us rather than rendering us obsolete.“This is an existential problem and needs to be controlled legislatively as soon as possible. My voice is one of my tools.”Actors and others want Andy Burnham to bring in legislation in the UK. Photograph: Save Our Voices Now/PA Paddington star Bonneville said: “My voice is unique. It’s mine. It’s part of my identity. So is yours. That’s worth speaking up about.”The actors are among those to have signed an open letter to British prime minister Andy Burnham while a petition on gov.uk has been launched to ask for everyone in Britain to be given ownership of their voice as part of their statutory rights.Save Our Voices Now founder Peter Caulfield said: “In just three seconds, with the right AI system, your voice can be cloned, stolen and reinterpreted without your knowledge. This isn’t fiction. It’s happening right now.“The bottom line is the government is allowing AI companies to steal and profit from artists’ voices without their consent. They are also allowing criminals to use AI to clone people’s identities and threaten everyone. We need to use our real voices now to stop it.”Those behind the campaign said Denmark was bringing in legislation to give its citizens legal ownership over their own face, body and voice, allowing them to demand removal of unauthorised AI content and seek compensation.Equity Ireland president Gerry O’Brien said the issue was of growing concern to actors working in Ireland, often for modest wages and fees and who rely on advertising voiceovers to provide a significant part of the income.“There are fee schedules here and agents have been strong about holding the line on this, but there have been instances of it happening. “We had one member a couple of years ago who started receiving messages congratulating them on a voiceover on a television ad but who had had nothing to do with it. “Clearly AI is a major threat and we support anything that helps protect artists’ right in these situations.” – Additional reporting by Press Association