Computers & internet

OpenAI Pulls Scarlett Johansson-like Voice from ChatGPT

Published MAY 21 2024

Story

Above: (L-R) Wes Anderson, Scarlett Johansson and Steve Park attend the "Asteroid City" press conference at the 76th annual Cannes film festival at Palais des Festivals on May 24, 2023 in Cannes, France. Image credit: Kristy Sparow/Stringer/Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

The Facts

A week after launching GPT-4o, the latest iteration of ChatGPT, creators OpenAI have pulled a voice used in the artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tool that many claimed sounded like Scarlett Johansson.
Sky News
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman appeared to acknowledge the similarities, simply posting "her" on X (formerly Twitter) on May 13. Her is a 2013 movie in which Johansson voiced an AI virtual assistant.
TechCrunch
This comes after Johansson said OpenAI approached her to voice ChatGPT nine months ago but turned down the offer for "personal reasons."
guardian
She added she was "shocked" and "angered" after hearing the new voice option, which the company called "Sky," adding it "sounded so eerily similar to mine that my closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference."
guardian
OpenAI has rejected the allegations that the feminine voice was modeled after the Hollywood star, claiming Sky's voice "belongs to a different professional actress using her own natural speaking voice."
Openai
It added that the identity of the voice actor wouldn't be revealed to protect their identity.
Openai

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

At a time when actors, entertainers, and content creators are worried about AI using their likeness without permission, it was wrong for OpenAI to utilize a voice that so closely resembles Johansson's. She's right to be upset and angered by this decision.

guardian

Narrative B

The Sky voice option in GPT-4o wasn't based on Johansson. It was the voice of an actor selected after a vigorous five-month process. The company values the voice acting industry, which is why ChatGPT's AI voices will never deliberately mimic a celebrity's distinctive voice.

Openai