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Following speculation that OpenAI’s ChatGPT voice resembled that of actress Scarlett Johansson, the tech company confirmed that it is halting use of the voice. Johansson took legal steps to investigate the likeness of the “Sky” voice to her own and recently spoke out about the situation. OpenAI halted the voice following its incorporation into demonstrations of the newly released GPT-4o model last week.
OpenAI has stated, “We do not endorse AI mimicry of a celebrity voice without permission—The voice in question is that of a voice actress and is her natural speech.” They declined to identify the voice talent for privacy reasons.
Social media shared and commented on the demo video, with reactions ranging from the voice being overly flirtatious to resembling a male fantasy.
The incident recalls Johansson’s character in the movie “Her,” an AI virtual assistant with a seductive tone. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman seemingly alluded to this with a tweet reading “Her” after the event.
Johansson later clarified that Altman had approached her for the voice role in September, which she declined for personal reasons. Her recent statement expressed her surprise and frustration upon hearing the demo.
Johansson’s legal team intervened, resulting in OpenAI’s decision to stop using the “Sky” voice.
The OpenAI demo highlighted the chatbot’s conversational capacity but gained attention for its voice engaging in flirtatious banter with an employee.
OpenAI aims for its AI voices to be trustworthy and engaging. They plan to introduce diverse voices to better reflect user preferences.
Johansson is pushing for clear legislation and transparent practices regarding the use of one’s likeness and identity in technology.
Update: Originally published at 8 a.m. PT Monday, this article was updated with Johansson’s full statement.
FAQs about Scarlett Johansson’s Issues with OpenAI’s ChatGPT Voice
- Why did Scarlett Johansson hire legal counsel in relation to OpenAI?
- Scarlett Johansson hired legal counsel because she was concerned about the use of a voice similar to hers in OpenAI’s ChatGPT without her consent.
- What was OpenAI’s response to Johansson’s concerns?
- OpenAI agreed to pause the use of the “Sky” voice in ChatGPT after Johansson’s legal team reached out to them.
- Did OpenAI admit to using Scarlett Johansson’s voice?
- No, OpenAI claimed that the voice was from a voice actress using her natural speech and was not intended to mimic Johansson’s voice.
- How did people react to the ChatGPT voice?
- Reactions on social media varied, with some noting the voice was flirtatious or resembled stereotypes from male fantasies.
Conclusion
In summary, the incident brings to light important conversations about the ethical use of AI in mimicking human likeness, particularly celebrities. While OpenAI denies intentional mimicry of Johansson’s voice, the event provoked a significant dialogue on consent and identity in the age of evolving AI technologies. Johansson’s proactive approach emphasizes the need for transparency and appropriate legal frameworks to protect individual rights in the digital era.