On Friday, executor Omer Pardillo revealed that Celia Cruz has become the first Latina artist to have her voice recreated using AI, a project undertaken by ElevenLabs, which previously recreated voices of poet Maya Angelou and artist Salvador Dalí. Pardillo emphasized strict control over the voice, stating, "It's not like everyone will have access to Celia's voice to use as they please. This is a very controlled process." Planned uses include audiobook narration, educational content, and responses based on statements Cruz made during her lifetime, with priority given to Spanish. Pardillo ruled out any political use, affirming, "I would never use it for political purposes, campaigns, or anything like that." He noted ElevenLabs has control mechanisms and any unauthorized use will be legally challenged. This follows years of tension over unauthorized uses; in July 2023, Celia Cruz's estate publicly opposed any AI usage without express permission, citing Title 17 of the United States Code. Despite this, in the same year, Yotuel Luengo recreated her voice for a new version of "Patria y Vida," and in February 2024, Gente de Zona used it at the Lo Nuestro Awards with the song "Celia," which garnered five million views on YouTube, none with the estate's official authorization.