The humble fanfic, once belonging exclusively to the likes of photocopied zines and obscure forums, has come a long way and turned into a cultural force that influences pretty much everything in the world of reading: from bestseller lists to billion-dollar franchises.
Welcome to the Archive of Our Own, a virtual home for all fanfic readers with 238.8M monthly visitors (according to SimilarWeb). For reference, the most popular universe in the Books and Literature section is Harry Potter. And at the moment of writing, there are 495,111 works in Harry Potter section (it grew by 10,000 while I was working on this article), featuring everything from slow-burn romances to alternate universes where Voldemort opens a bakery.
But what drives millions of people to spend countless hours scribbling stories about other author’s characters?
"One of the points of fanfiction is taking the world and/or characters that you love and don't have enough of and just playing around with them more," explains one Reddit user. But it goes deeper than just wanting more content. For many writers and readers, fanfiction gives a good opportunity to explore perspectives and possibilities the original work might have overlooked.
Take Hermione Granger. In the original series she's rarely described beyond her bushy hair and large teeth. But in fanfiction, she's frequently reintroduced as black, allowing readers to see themselves in a character they've always related to. This example reflects a broader trend, where traditionally marginalized groups use fanfic to see themselves represented in stories with seemingly less diversity in the canon.
The demographics tell their own story. Over 80% of Archive of Our Own users identify as female, with another significant portion identifying as LGBTQ+. These groups have historically been underserved by traditional publishing (I mean, while we have books with main female characters, it’s definitely not at 80% share), making fanfiction a vital creative outlet.
The emotional impact of fanfiction can also be profound. One viral Reddit thread about mental illness in fanfiction emphasized how fan-written stories often provide more nuanced and realistic portrayals of trauma, depression, anxiety, and PTSD than mainstream media. Comments overwhelmingly suggest that a good share of fanfiction creators are pouring out their personal experience on the paper, which, in turn, helps readers to process their own painful emotions.
But what about the legal side? Can you really publish stories about someone else's characters without getting sued? "You're not allowed to profit from fanfiction, anyone trying to sell their fanfic could get sued," explains one Reddit user. However, the most talented are still able to be rewarded.
For instance "Manacled,"one of the most popular Harry Potter fanfic stories on Archive of Our Own with millions of hits. Its author, SenLinYu, was able to get a book deal so by 2025, this dark romance will transform into "Alchemised," leaving the wizarding world behind for a fresh fantasy landscape published by Del Rey and Penguin Random House.
For most writers though, profit isn't the point. Fanfiction is about community, creativity, and the pure joy of playing in someone else's sandbox. It's where first-time writers can test their skills, readers can find the stories they're craving, and fans can keep their favorite worlds alive long after the original creator has moved on.
The internet has turned fanfiction from a niche hobby into a global phenomenon. So whether you're a casual reader or a dedicated writer with a 200,000-word slow-burn enemies-to-lovers epic in progress, fanfiction might be the right field for you to explore, as it just got even more interesting.
The rise of AI voice technology in fandom
From writing stories to making art, fans have always found various ways to celebrate their favorite heroes and authors. Now, fanfic is stepping in a new dimension made possible with AI voice cloning. And while even traditional fan works brought various legal questions to the table, now it’s getting even ticker, with ethics added to the mix.
When tech giant with seemingly unlimited funding and connections, OpenAI, recently launched "Sky," a voice assistant with an uncanny similarity to Scarlett Johansson's voice, it didn’t fly. Lab analysis showed it matched Johansson's voice patterns more closely than 98% of other actresses, even though OpenAI claimed they used a different voice actor. But they ended up pulling Sky out.
And there would be more cases like this, since the landscape of voice cloning tools grows more complex by the day. Some companies play by the rules — Voice-Swap offers licensed voices from artists like Liam Bailey for £5.99 monthly, while Kits.ai provides both royalty-free voices and a premium "Artists Voice" section at $9.99 monthly. Or LALAL.AI, focused on audio separation technology, now also works with session singers who license their voices for AI training.
"AI voice cloning is an incredibly powerful tool, but with that power comes responsibility. At LALAL.AI, we believe that innovation should never come at the expense of ethics. Every voice used in our Voice Cloner was provided with full consent and fair compensation, ensuring that creators remain in control of their own sound. The future of AI voice technology must be built on transparency and respect—and that’s exactly what we’re committed to," said LALAL.AI’s Lead Engineer upon the release of their own voice cloning solution.
These companies offer a blueprint for ethical voice cloning: compensating artists fairly while giving fans new ways to create.
But not everyone follows the ethical suit. Just ask Paul Skye Lehrman and Linnea Sage, voice actors who discovered their voices being used without permission years after recording what they told were academic samples. They're now suing AI voice company Lovo for $5M in damages.
"Voice cloning by fans will absolutely happen, just like with fanfic text, fanfic video, and fanfic drawings," notes JD Harriman, Partner at Foundation Law Group. "It is an irresistible part of being a fan and if the tool is there, it will be used." However, he cautions that while low-key fan activities might be tolerated, commercial exploitation will trigger legal action.
More importantly, Harriman emphasizes that voice cloning faces unique legal challenges: "The intellectual property rules do NOT favor voice cloning, and in fact would be applied more stringently than for fiction, art, and video. This is because voice cloning requires taking the actual voice of the artist." Unlike traditional fan works that could be considered "inspired by" the original, voice cloning necessarily involves copying the artist's actual voice.
"Currently, we don't have great federal regulations for this beyond general right of publicity regulations," explains Edward Tian, CEO of GPTZero. "But we are seeing more and more state laws get introduced, like Tennessee's ELVIS Act."
The ELVIS Act marks a significant milestone, since it’s protecting not just commercial use of someone's voice but any unauthorized use. This builds on precedent set by earlier cases, like Bette Midler's 1988 victory against Ford for using a sound-alike in commercials.
As voice cloning technology becomes more accessible, the real challenge will lie in balancing creative expression with artists' rights to control their own voices. After all, in a world where anyone can sound like their favorite singer, is it even possible to have a voice of your own?
Artists lending their voices: voluntary participation in AI projects
While some artists run screaming from AI voice cloning, others are running straight toward it with their lawyers and contracts in hand.
One example is Grimes, not only did she give fans her voice, she's offering to distribute their AI-created songs with a 50/50 split on royalties, as long as you are "tasteful" with her voice. (Whatever that means given some untasteful things Grimes said herself in the past, for instance calling broccoli “vile”).
YouTube's getting in on the action too. Their new tech initiative called “Dream Track” has signed up some well-known artists including John Legend, T-Pain, and Demi Lovato. The deal? Fans type what they want to generate unique 30 second long songs to use as a background music for YouTube Shorts.
The tech giant isn't stopping there. They've partnered with Universal Music to launch an AI incubator, bringing on artists from ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus to Anitta. Looks like at least some big shots in the music industry's finally decided if you can't beat the robots, join them (or build your own).
And according to JD Harriman, Partner at Foundation Law Group, artists better jump on this bandwagon fast: "If I was an artist right now, I would be making an AI deal for my name, image, and likeness (including voice) for almost any amount. The best deals will be the earliest ones, because soon studios and content creators will realize that they can do without the voices of artists, and will pay less or none at all."
He points to James Earl Jones, who made his AI voice deal before passing away, and Al Michaels as examples of artists who got ahead of the curve. So yeah, get paid now, or watch your digital twin work for free later.
For artists, these platforms offer a new revenue stream and a way to connect with fans. For fans, it's a chance to create with their favorite voice without risking a lawsuit. And for the platforms? While there’s no transparent specifics some might bet that they probably get a very substantial cut of the profits.
Is this the future of fan engagement? Maybe. But one thing is getting pretty obvious: artists who don't jump on the AI train might find themselves watching their digital doubles make money without them.
The future of fan-artist relationships
And money always changes everything. Especially when it comes to fans making fanart.
Remember when the Lord of the Rings fanfic writer got sued for copyright violations? AI voice cloning now (especially with things like ELVIS act) sits in that same legal grey zone.
"I see it as being almost identical, and would likely lead to very good communities, as long as it is kept organic, contained, and not for profit," notes JD Harriman, Partner at Foundation Law Group. But he adds a warning: "As an intellectual property attorney, I think laws already in place provide sufficient protection. Having said that, I expect lawmakers to try to pass additional laws in this arena."
Just like fanfiction found its place, mostly non-commercial but occasionally breaking through to mainstream success, AI voice covers will likely follow the same path. The winners will be those who figure out how to work my marketmakers rules, within the system, rather than fighting it.
Will we see AI voice marketplaces where fans can legally license their favorite artist's voice? Probably. Will some fans ignore the rules and do whatever they want? Definitely. The question isn't if this technology will change artist-fan relationships, but how much both sides are willing to adapt.
For up-and-coming artists, this might mean sharing not just their music but their vocal identity with fans. For established stars, it's a way to stay relevant in a world where audiences want to participate, not just listen.
The next generation of music fans might not just stream their favorite artists, they might sing with AI versions of them, split royalties with them, and potentially even leave their own mark in the artist's musical legacy. That’s the whole new level in fan-artist relationships. But the real question is: can the music industry keep up with fans who want to do more than just listen?
