Scarlett Johansson Angered OpenAI Chatbot Sounds Just Like Her

Scarlett Johansson criticizes OpenAI for creating a chatbot voice similar to hers without permission, leading to suspension and legal threats.

Scarlett Johansson recently criticized OpenAI for creating a new chatbot voice that she claimed sounded too similar to her own voice, despite her refusal to license it to the system. In a statement published by NPR, Johansson expressed shock and anger at the release of the demo featuring the AI voice that resembled hers.

OpenAI unveiled its latest AI model, GPT-4 Omni (GPT-4o), last Tuesday, showcasing its ability to engage in more human-like conversations, including whispering, sarcasm, and even flirting. The virtual assistant quickly drew comparisons to Johansson's voice in the movie "Her," where she played the role of Samantha, a virtual assistant who forms a relationship with a writer.

Following the backlash, OpenAI decided to suspend the use of the AI voice named Sky, one of the five voices available with GPT-4o, while addressing concerns. The company denied copying Johansson's voice, stating that Sky's voice belongs to a different actress using her natural speaking voice, whose identity remains confidential.

Johansson accused OpenAI and its founder, Sam Altman, of intentionally mimicking her voice, claiming that Altman had approached her to voice GPT-4o. Despite declining the offer, Johansson alleged that Altman reached out again just days before the demo, asking her to reconsider licensing her voice for the virtual assistant.

In response, Altman refuted the claims, stating that Sky's voice was cast before any contact with Johansson and was never intended to resemble her voice. He expressed regret for the miscommunication and apologized to Johansson for any confusion.

The situation with Johansson adds to OpenAI's legal challenges, as the company faces copyright infringement allegations from various industries, including Hollywood and the media sector. In April, a group of newspapers filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, accusing them of unauthorized use of their articles for training AI models. Johansson's legal team has requested transparency regarding the voice casting process, highlighting the ongoing complexities surrounding AI technology and intellectual property rights.