Scarlett Johansson ‘Angered’ by Sam Altman’s ChatGPT Voice ‘Eerily Similar’ to Hers
Scarlett Johansson has taken legal action against OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, over the use of an AI voice that sounds ‘eerily similar’ to hers. Johansson claims that OpenAI’s latest chatbot features a voice mimicking hers without her consent, sparking a debate about personal rights in the era of AI.
In September last year, Altman tried to hire Johansson to voice the ChatGPT system. The deal, however, fell through for personal reasons. Altman believed Johansson’s voice could help bridge the gap between tech companies and creatives, making people feel more at ease with AI advancements. “He felt my voice would be comforting to people,” Johansson told Variety.
The complexities of #AI #ArtificialIntelligence are only starting to surface 👇
— Susan Li (@SusanLiTV) May 21, 2024
Scarlett Johansson’s publicist sent over her statement tonight expressing her “anger” “shock” & “disbelief” that #OpenAI would use a similar voice to hers for their new #ChatGPT-4O voice assistant… pic.twitter.com/zo86TB61jl
Last week, when OpenAI released a demo version of the updated chatbot in San Francisco, attendees quickly noticed that the voice sounded eerily like Johansson’s performance in the movie “Her”. In the film, her voice is an AI companion to Joaquin Phoenix’s character. The resemblance was so strong that Altman even posted “her” on X (formerly Twitter) on the day of the release.
Here's the official statement released by Scarlett Johansson, detailing OpenAI's alleged illegal usage of her voice…
— Benjamin De Kraker 🏴☠️ (@BenjaminDEKR) May 20, 2024
…read by the Sky AI voice, because irony. pic.twitter.com/cJDlnA0hTP
The updated chatbot can converse, respond to messages, and listen to real-time prompts. It features five voices: Sky, Ember, Breeze, Juniper, and Cove. The Sky voice, in particular, came under fire for its uncanny similarity to Johansson’s voice in “Her.” In a statement provided to Variety, Johansson said her lawyers contacted OpenAI to have the Sky voice pulled down. Johansson demanded better legislation to protect individuals’ likeness, work, and identity, especially with the rise of deepfake technology.
In response to the backlash, OpenAI paused the use of the Sky voice. “We believe that AI voices should not deliberately mimic a celebrity’s distinctive voice — Sky’s voice is not an imitation of Scarlett Johansson but belongs to a different professional actress using her own natural speaking voice,” OpenAI stated.
As the legal and public relations fallout continues, Johansson’s case highlights a crucial issue in the rapidly evolving world of AI and digital likeness. The actress’s stand underscores the need for clearer regulations to protect personal identities from being exploited by advanced technologies without consent.
OpenAI’s commitment to addressing these concerns and its willingness to pause the use of the contentious voice shows a step in the right direction. However, the situation remains a poignant reminder of the ethical dilemmas posed by AI advancements.
Stay tuned for further updates as Johansson’s case highlights ongoing concerns about AI voice replication and the protection of personal identities in the digital age.
