Scarlett Johansson Expresses Shock and Anger Over OpenAI’s Alleged Unauthorized Recreation of Her Voice

May 21, 2024 TruthUSA

Scarlett Johansson expressed shock and anger after OpenAI allegedly replicated her voice without her permission for a new ChatGPT system.

In a statement, the actress criticized CEO Sam Altman for implying she was the voice behind ‘Sky’ by referencing a movie where she portrayed an AI character.

“Last September, Sam Altman approached me to voice the current ChatGPT 4.0 system,” the 39-year-old Oscar nominee explained.

“He believed that my voice could bridge the gap between tech and creativity, making consumers comfortable with the integration of humans and AI. He thought my voice would be reassuring.”

She declined the offer for personal reasons but later noticed the resemblance between her voice and the ‘Sky’ voice.

“When I heard the demo, I was shocked and outraged that Mr. Altman pursued a voice so similar to mine that even my closest friends and the media couldn’t distinguish between them,” Johansson added.

“Mr. Altman hinted that the similarity was deliberate by tweeting the word ‘her,’ referencing the movie where I voiced an AI forming a relationship with a human.

“Two days before the ChatGPT 4.0 demo was released, Mr. Altman contacted my agent to reconsider, but the system had already been made public.”

“As a result, I had to hire legal representation, which led OpenAI to remove the ‘Sky’ voice,” she continued.

“In a time when we’re dealing with deepfakes and protecting our identities, clarity is essential. I hope for transparency and legislation to protect individual rights.”

OpenAI announced a “pause” in using the ChatGPT voice after the public noticed the similarity to Scarlett Johansson.

OpenAI stated: “We are addressing concerns about the voices in ChatGPT, particularly ‘Sky’.”

“We’re suspending the use of Sky while we investigate further.”

The artificial intelligence company offers five voices through its ChatGPT service.

Scarlett Johansson’s statement in full

Last September, Sam Altman offered me the role to voice the ChatGPT 4.0 system.

He believed my voice could bridge the gap between tech and creativity, making the integration of humans and AI more acceptable to consumers.

After thoughtful consideration for personal reasons, I declined the offer.

Nine months later, many people noted the resemblance between the ‘Sky’ voice and my own.

Upon hearing the demo, I was shocked and outraged that Mr. Altman pursued a voice so similar to mine that even my closest friends and the media couldn’t tell the difference.

Mr. Altman even hinted at the intentionality of the similarity by tweeting the word ‘her,’ referencing a movie where I voiced an AI character forming a close bond with a human.

Two days before the release of ChatGPT 4.0, Mr. Altman reached out to my agent to reconsider the offer, but it was already too late.

As a result, I had to seek legal help, which eventually led OpenAI to remove the ‘Sky’ voice.

In a time of deepfakes and identity protection, clarity is crucial. I hope for transparency and legislation to safeguard individual rights.

OpenAI denied intentionally copying Johansson and stated their belief that “AI voices should not mimic a celebrity’s voice.”

The New York Times filed a lawsuit against OpenAI at the end of last year over allegations of unlawful use of the newspaper’s content to train and create ChatGPT.

The lawsuit claims that the AI model now competes with the newspaper and jeopardizes its ability to provide reliable information.

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