AFTER Scarlett Johansson rejected the request by OpenAI to provide her voice for ChatGPT, she was “shocked” when the artificial intelligence (AI) company went ahead and used a voice that sounded similar to hers in the latest ChatGPT 4.0 demo.
Through her recently released statement, Johansson provided a detailed account of what happened, and that her lawyers had contacted OpenAI, requesting the “exact process” used to create ChatGPT’s new Sky voice.
“In a time when we are all grappling with deepfakes and the protection of our own likeness, work and identities, I believe these are questions that deserve absolute clarity,” she wrote.
Responding to the inquest, OpenAI claimed that “AI voices should not deliberately mimic a celebrity’s distinctive voice”, denying that the Sky voice is an imitation of the actress’ voice. The company explained that the voice “belongs to a different professional actress using her own natural speaking voice”.
Despite saying that, OpenAI then pulled down the Sky voice, which raises doubts on their claims.
Those that heard the voice when it was introduced last week have claimed that it did indeed sound eerily similar to Johansson’s voice and some likened it to how the actress’ disembodied voice was used in Spike Jonze’s film Her.
The connection to the film was also explicitly name-dropped by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who posted the word “her” on social media X after the launch.
According to Johansson’s statement, the offer to voice ChatGPT 4.0 came directly from Altman last September.
