Eric Dane Sought AI Vocal Restoration in Final Days

The late actor was working with ElevenLabs to replicate his voice with artificial intelligence after losing vocal abilities due to ALS.

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Eric Dane, the late San Francisco actor known for roles in 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'Euphoria,' was experimenting with artificial intelligence to replicate his voice in his final days as he lost vocal communication capabilities due to his battle with ALS. Dane's wife, Rebecca Gayheart, revealed that he was working with AI audio research company ElevenLabs on a vocal restoration project that created a synthetic version of his voice from past recordings.

Why it matters

Dane's story highlights the growing use of AI technology to help those living with terminal neurological diseases like ALS maintain their independence and connection with loved ones as they lose their natural voice. ElevenLabs has been providing this service to ALS patients through its '1 Million Voices' initiative, aiming to restore agency and identity for those facing voice loss.

The details

Gayheart said Dane was 'really excited' about the ElevenLabs project as he was 'losing his voice, and it was becoming more difficult for him to communicate each and every day.' The company was able to create a synthetic version of Dane's voice that his family, including his teenage daughters, said was 'spot on' and captured his unique way of speaking. Dane heard the final AI replication weeks before his death, which Gayheart described as a 'really big' and 'powerful moment' that left everyone in the room emotional.

  • Dane went public with his ALS diagnosis in April.
  • Dane died on February 19 after a years-long battle with ALS.
  • Dane heard the final AI replication from ElevenLabs weeks before he died.

The players

Eric Dane

A late San Francisco actor known for roles on 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'Euphoria' who was battling ALS.

Rebecca Gayheart

Dane's wife who revealed details about his work with ElevenLabs on a vocal restoration project using AI.

ElevenLabs

An AI audio research company that worked with Dane on replicating his voice using technology, as part of its '1 Million Voices' initiative to help those with voice loss.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“(He) was really excited about it, because he was losing his voice, and it was becoming more difficult for him to communicate each and every day. So it became sort of urgent.”

— Rebecca Gayheart, Dane's wife (Variety)

“When someone loses their voice, they often lose their independence and connection with the people they love. The most rewarding part of building ElevenLabs is using our technology to help restore someone's agency and sense of identity, no matter where they live or what language they speak.”

— Mati Staniszewski, ElevenLabs co-founder (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

ElevenLabs is set to premiere '11 Voices,' a docuseries showcasing the stories of 11 individuals living with voice loss, each of whom narrates using their AI-generated voices. Dane was set to be featured in the series, but due to his rapidly deteriorating health, filming wasn't possible.

The takeaway

Dane's story highlights the growing use of AI technology to help those living with terminal neurological diseases like ALS maintain their independence and connection with loved ones as they lose their natural voice. ElevenLabs' work to provide this service to ALS patients through its '1 Million Voices' initiative is a powerful example of how technology can be used to restore agency and identity for those facing voice loss.