Scarlett Johansson, the renowned Hollywood actress, has recently raised concerns over the unauthorized use of her voice by OpenAI, the artificial intelligence company. According to Johansson, OpenAI released a new voice model, ChatGPT 4.0, featuring a voice named Sky that sounded remarkably similar to her own, without her consent.
The controversy began when Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, approached Johansson in September 2023 to voice the ChatGPT 4.0 model, citing that her voice would provide comfort to users. However, Johansson declined the offer due to personal reasons. Despite her refusal, OpenAI went ahead and created the Sky voice, which closely resembled Johansson’s voice, leading to widespread confusion and speculation.
Johansson expressed her shock and disappointment upon hearing the voice, stating that she was forced to hire legal counsel to address the issue. She emphasized the importance of protecting individual rights and likened the situation to the growing concern of deepfakes being used for illicit purposes.
In response, OpenAI acknowledged the resemblance between the Sky voice and Johansson’s voice and announced that they would remove the voice from ChatGPT 4.0. Altman clarified that the voice actor behind Sky was cast before any contact with Johansson and apologized for the lack of communication.
The incident raises questions about the ethical use of celebrity voices in artificial intelligence models and the need for transparency and legislation to safeguard individual rights. Johansson’s case serves as a reminder of the complexities surrounding the protection of personal identities in the digital age.
