OpenAI has once again come under fire, this time as actress Scarlett Johansson accuses their latest AI model, ChatGPT 4o, of bearing a striking resemblance to her own voice. In a statement, the star of Avengers and Lucy expressed shock and anger upon hearing the voice of the AI model, describing it as eerily similar to her own.
Johansson revealed her disbelief when she heard the released demo of ChatGPT 4o, noting that even her closest friends and news outlets struggled to differentiate between her voice and that of the AI model. The actress specifically called out OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, for suggesting that the similarity was intentional, referencing a cryptic social media post he shared with the single word her, likely alluding to Johansson’s role as Samantha in the film Her.
The controversy comes just a week after OpenAI introduced their enhanced AI model amid increasing competition in the AI sector, with Google also unveiling new advancements in the same space during its IO event. The emergence of deepfakes and concerns over intellectual property rights and copyrights have further fueled the debate surrounding the use of AI technology.
In response to Johansson’s allegations, OpenAI denied any imitation of the actress’s voice, clarifying that ChatGPT 4o features a different professional actress using her own natural speaking voice. The company emphasized the importance of privacy for their voice talents, refraining from disclosing their identities.
The incident has raised broader questions about the protection of individual rights in the era of deepfakes, prompting Johansson to call for transparency and the enactment of appropriate legislation to safeguard personal identities and work. As the debate unfolds, stakeholders are likely to grapple with the delicate balance between technological advancement and ethical considerations in the realm of AI development.
