In a surprising turn of events, Scarlett Johansson has issued a statement revealing a contentious exchange with OpenAI over their latest AI voice system. Last September, Johansson was approached by Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, with an offer to lend her voice to the ChatGPT 4.0 system. Altman suggested that her voice could play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between technology and creativity, making the transition to AI-driven interactions more palatable for the public. Despite the intriguing proposition, Johansson ultimately declined the offer for personal reasons.
Fast forward nine months, and Johansson found herself at the center of controversy. Friends, family, and the public noted striking similarities between Johansson’s voice and that of “Sky,” the new AI voice introduced with ChatGPT 4.0. The likeness was so uncanny that many could not distinguish between the two. Johansson expressed her shock and disbelief upon hearing the demo, especially when Altman cryptically tweeted “her,” a clear nod to Johansson’s role in the movie “Her,” where she voiced an AI named Samantha.
Johansson’s initial decline did not deter Altman, who reached out to her agent just two days before the demo release, asking her to reconsider. However, before any further discussion could take place, the “Sky” voice was launched. Johansson issued a statement, which delves into her emotions and the subsequent actions she was compelled to take. “When I heard the released demo, I was shocked, angered and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so eerily similar to mine that my closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference,” Johansson remarked. She further disclosed, “Mr. Altman even insinuated that the similarity was intentional, tweeting a single word ‘her’—a reference to the film in which I voiced a chat system, Samantha, who forms an intimate relationship with a human.” This unsettling realization prompted Johansson to seek legal counsel, leading to a formal request for OpenAI to explain the exact process used to create the “Sky” voice.
The situation escalated to the point where OpenAI had to reluctantly agree to take down the “Sky” voice.
Johansson, meanwhile, called for transparency and the development of laws to safeguard individual rights against unauthorized use of their likenesses.