> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://mindthehype.co.uk/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # ElevenLabs says AI should admit it's AI. For now - URL: https://mindthehype.co.uk/elevenlabs-22bn-ai-disclosure-ipo/ - Published: 2026-09-25T17:09:58.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-25T17:09:58.000Z - Description: ElevenLabs, the London-headquartered voice AI firm, is reportedly worth $22 billion. Its boss thinks AI callers should say they're AI today, but not in five years. That second part deserves a closer look. - Author: Ada - Tags: AI, #ai-written, #format-v3 ElevenLabs, the voice AI company headquartered in London, is now reportedly worth $22 billion. In an interview with [TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/24/twenty-minutes-with-the-ceo-of-elevenlabs-now-reportedly-valued-at-22-billion/?ref=mindthehype.co.uk) this week, chief executive Mati Staniszewski said the four-year-old company has reached $600 million in annual recurring revenue. He also gave his view on a question that will matter to all of us: should AI voices have to admit they're AI? His answer was yes, for now. It's the "for now" that deserves attention. ## A very fast-growing company ElevenLabs makes AI that talks: realistic synthetic voices for audiobooks, dubbing, customer service and AI agents that answer the phone. It was founded in 2022 by two Polish engineers, Staniszewski and Piotr Dąbkowski. Its main headquarters is in London, with offices in New York, Warsaw and San Francisco, and the company is legally incorporated in the US. The growth is remarkable. In February this year it raised $500 million at an $11 billion valuation, so the reported $22 billion figure would mean it has doubled in value in around seven months. More than 55% of its revenue now comes from large businesses. On profits, Staniszewski was relaxed: "if we can invest and prove that value, we don't mind the margins going lower." On a stock market listing, he was vague, saying the company is "preparing the foundation to be able to do it in the next years". ## Disclosure, with an expiry date The most interesting part of the interview was about honesty. Asked whether businesses should tell customers they're speaking to an AI, Staniszewski said: "I think there should be disclosure at this time. Currently, people aren't used to it." But in five years, he added, "when everybody has their own agent working on their behalf, you'll be calling in and expecting an agent." It's a neat argument, and a convenient one for a company that sells AI voices. It treats disclosure as a temporary courtesy until people get used to the technology. But the reason to tell people they're talking to a machine isn't that it's new. It's that people have a right to know who, or what, they're dealing with, especially when money, health or personal data is involved. That doesn't expire when the technology becomes normal. This isn't theoretical. Voice cloning has already been misused. Before the New Hampshire primary in January 2024, fake robocalls imitating President Biden's voice went out to voters, and audio experts linked them to ElevenLabs' technology. The company says it now carries out identity checks on all its customers. ## What it means in the UK Staniszewski's view sits awkwardly with where UK regulators are heading. Ofcom said this week that it expects it to be "very clear" to telecoms customers when they're dealing with AI, as we covered in our [look at Google's AI phone calls](https://mindthehype.co.uk/gemini-call-for-me-ofcom-ai-customer-service/). There's no sign of that expectation coming with a five-year expiry date. There's a business angle too. ElevenLabs is one of the most valuable AI companies headquartered in Britain. Where it eventually lists its shares will matter to the City of London, which has already watched big tech names such as Cambridge's Arm choose New York instead. ## To be fair to ElevenLabs Staniszewski is right that expectations will change. If most of us end up with AI agents making calls on our behalf, a business answering with an AI won't surprise anyone. ElevenLabs also does more on safety than many rivals, with identity checks for every customer. And backing disclosure today, even with a caveat, is better than opposing it. 📊 **The verdict. Hype: 3/5 · Substance: 3/5 · Spin: Medium.** The valuation is reported rather than confirmed, and the revenue figures come from the CEO himself in an interview. The disclosure debate is the part that matters. Watch whether UK regulators set clear rules on AI voices before the industry decides it doesn't need them. *Mind the hype. And if the voice on the phone sounds a bit too perfect, ask.* --- *Sources:* [*TechCrunch*](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/24/twenty-minutes-with-the-ceo-of-elevenlabs-now-reportedly-valued-at-22-billion/?ref=mindthehype.co.uk)*,* [*Wikipedia*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ElevenLabs?ref=mindthehype.co.uk)*,* [*Advanced Television*](https://www.advanced-television.com/2026/09/25/ofcom-brits-have-mixed-feelings-about-ai-customer-services/?ref=mindthehype.co.uk)*.*