Actress Scarlett Johansson claimed that OpenAI used her voice in its novel ChatGPT 4o chatbot, which she found “eerily similar” to her own, even though she declined the company’s request to utilize her voice.
In a statement to NPR, Johansson detailed her experience with the tech giant and its newest AI voice, “Sky.” NPR technology correspondent Bobby Allyn shared the statement on the X social media platform.
The artificial intelligence company, headed by CEO Sam Altman, announced that it would temporarily suspend the utilize of a voice similar to Johansson’s, called “Sky,” in the wake of Johansson’s public outcry.
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“Last September, I received an offer from Sam Altman, who wanted to hire me to publicize the current ChatGPT 4.0 system,” said Johansson. “He told me that he believed that with my voice system, I could bridge the gap between technology for companies and creators, and aid consumers feel comfortable with the seismic change regarding humans and artificial intelligence. He said my voice would be comforting to people.”
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Although he was flattered by the offer, Johansson refused for personal reasons. But nine months later, she was surprised when she and her loved ones noticed an “uncanny resemblance” between her voice and that of the newly released “Sky” artificial intelligence system.
“When I heard the released demo, I was shocked, irate and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would utilize a voice that sounded so eerily similar to mine that my closest friends and news outlets didn’t notice the difference,” Johansson continued.
Things escalated when Altman tweeted a cryptic reference to her role in the film Her, in which she voiced an artificial intelligence named Samantha. This strengthened her suspicions that the similarity was intentional.
Johansson revealed that just two days before the release of the ChatGPT 4.0 demo, Altman contacted her agent asking her to reconsider. According to her, the moment was too close to the premiere to change anything. She therefore turned to legal counsel, who sent letters to Altman and OpenAI demanding transparency and the removal of the “Sky” vote.
“Because of their actions, I was forced to hire legal counsel who wrote two letters to Mr. Altman and OpenAI, describing what they did and asking for a detailed description of the process by which they created the ‘Sky’ voice,” Johansson explained. The pressure made OpenAI reluctantly agree to remove the “Sky” voice.
Johansson’s statement highlights broader problems in the era of deepfakes and artificial intelligence. “At a time when we are all struggling with deepfakes and the protection of our own likeness, our work and our identity, I believe these are questions that deserve absolute clarity,” she said. “I look forward to a transparency solution and the passage of appropriate legislation that will aid ensure that individual rights are protected.”
Meanwhile, responding to Johansson’s claims, OpenAI said the company supports the inventive community and is working closely with the voice actor industry to ensure appropriate steps are taken to cast ChatGPT votes. “Each actor is paid above the highest market rates and for as long as their voices are used in our products,” OpenAI said, according to Reuters.
“We believe that AI voices should not intentionally imitate a celebrity’s distinctive voice – Sky’s voice is not an imitation of Scarlett Johansson, but belongs to another professional actress who uses her own natural voice. To protect their privacy, we cannot share the names of our voice talents.” Reuters – she quoted the company as saying.
Posted: May 21, 2024 06:56 EST
