Scarlett Johansson recently made headlines after revealing that OpenAI had approached her to lend her voice to the ChatGPT 4.0 system. However, Johansson declined the offer, citing personal reasons behind her decision. Despite declining the offer, OpenAI went ahead with creating a voice that bore a striking resemblance to Johansson’s voice, leading to a controversy.
Following the unveiling of the ChatGPT voice known as Sky, which sounded remarkably similar to Johansson’s voice, the actress expressed shock, anger, and disbelief. She even went as far as hiring legal counsel and sending two letters to OpenAI seeking clarification on how the voice of Sky was created. OpenAI, in response, denied any intentional resemblance to Johansson’s voice and expressed regret for not communicating better with the actress.
OpenAI clarified that the voice of Sky was not performed by Scarlett Johansson but by a voice actor they had hired. The company chose to withhold the name of the voice actor citing privacy concerns. It was revealed that the voice actor performed in their normal speaking voice for the ChatGPT voice. This decision was made before any contact was made with Johansson regarding her potential involvement.
The controversy surrounding the ChatGPT voice of Sky raised questions about how voices are chosen for AI models. Scarlett Johansson emphasized the importance of transparency in the process and sought a detailed explanation from OpenAI regarding the creation of the voice of Sky. OpenAI’s CTO and other representatives have been in discussions with Johansson’s team to address her concerns and seek a resolution to the issue.
As the discussion continues between Scarlett Johansson and OpenAI, the case sheds light on the complexities of AI technology and the ethical considerations surrounding the use of voices in AI models. In a time where deepfakes and impersonations are prevalent, the protection of one’s likeness and identity becomes crucial. Johansson’s quest for clarity in this matter highlights the need for transparency and accountability in the development and deployment of AI systems.
Leave a Reply