Scarlett Johansson Demands Transparency as OpenAI’s AI Voice Stirs Controversy

Scarlett Johansson’s legal team has sent formal requests to OpenAI, demanding transparency regarding the process used to develop a new AI voice assistant that bears an uncanny resemblance to the actress’s voice. The voice, dubbed “Sky,” was unveiled during a recent demo of OpenAI’s updated ChatGPT model, prompting comparisons to Johansson’s performance as the operating system’s voice in the 2013 film “Her.”

Initially, OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman appeared to embrace the connection, posting a reference to the film on social media. However, the company later denied any deliberate attempt to mimic Johansson’s voice. Despite these denials, OpenAI abruptly halted the use of the Sky voice, citing a need to address “questions about how we chose the voices in ChatGPT.”

According to Johansson, Altman had approached her nine months earlier, proposing to license her voice for the new ChatGPT assistant, claiming it would be “comforting to people” wary of AI technology. Johansson declined the offer for personal reasons. Just days before the unveiling, Altman reached out again, urging her to reconsider, but the company proceeded with the release before they could connect.

Johansson expressed shock and anger at what she perceives as a violation of her likeness, particularly in an era grappling with deepfakes and misinformation. She called for transparency and appropriate legislation to protect individual rights in the face of advancing AI technology.

In response, OpenAI stated that the Sky voice was developed from the voice of a different professional actress, whose identity they chose not to reveal to protect her privacy. The company maintained that they did not deliberately mimic a celebrity’s distinctive voice.

The updated ChatGPT model, known as GPT-4o, transforms the chatbot into a voice assistant capable of interpreting facial expressions, detecting emotions, and even singing on command. While OpenAI denies any intentional connection to Johansson’s voice, the incident has raised broader questions about the potential risks and ethical considerations surrounding the use of AI-generated voices and the potential for emotional connections between users and these advanced systems.