OpenAI Buys Weights.gg for Voice-Cloning Tools 2 Years After Withholding Its Own
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 16
OpenAI Buys Weights.gg for Voice-Cloning Tools 2 Years After Withholding Its Own
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 16
OpenAI quietly acquired Weights.gg this year, buying the startup’s small team and intellectual property to deepen its work on AI voice replication, according to people familiar with the deal.
2 years after OpenAI said its own voice-cloning system was too risky to release publicly, the purchase shows the company is still advancing the technology internally.
Weights.gg shut down its services in March after running a free consumer app, Replay, and a social platform where users created and shared voice-cloning models.
The startup’s library included cloned voices of celebrities such as Taylor Swift and Samuel L. Jackson, cartoon characters including Bugs Bunny, and political figures such as Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
Why did OpenAI buy a voice-cloning firm after calling its own similar technology 'too risky' for public release?
As AI perfectly mimics human voices, how can we defend against the growing threat of undetectable deepfake scams?
What does this AI acquisition mean for the future of personal identity as new laws fight to protect it?
OpenAI Acquires Weights.gg: Strategic Takeover Reshapes AI Voice Market and Raises Stakes for Responsible Voice Cloning (May 2026)
Overview
In May 2026, OpenAI acquired Weights.gg, a leading platform known for its vibrant community and user-generated library of AI voice models. Weights.gg had launched its 'Weights: AI Voice Covers' product in April 2024 and quickly became popular for allowing users to create and share accurate voice clones of celebrities and public figures through its free app, Replay. By bringing Weights.gg under its umbrella, OpenAI gained access to advanced voice synthesis technology and a strong user base, highlighting the growing importance of user-driven AI innovation and responsible deployment of powerful voice cloning tools.