Scarlett Johansson ‘Shocked, Angered’ Over Unauthorized A.I. Voice
Scarlett Johansson has replied to the unauthorized usage of a voice that sounds disturbingly similar to hers for OpenAI’s ChatGPT system, stating that she was “shocked” and “angered.”ollowing the revelation that OpenAI employed a voice similar to Johansson’s, with many pointing out parallels between the system and Spike Jonze’s 2013 film Her, the actress issued a statement saying she was invited to lend her voice but eventually declined.
We’ve heard questions about how we chose the voices in ChatGPT, especially Sky. We are working to pause the use of Sky while we address them.
Read more about how we chose these voices: https://t.co/R8wwZjU36L
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) May 20, 2024
Johansson revealed that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman approached her in September 2023 about utilizing her voice for ChatGPT 4.0, but the Black Widow and Jojo Rabbit actress declined the offer for “personal reasons.” She issued the following statement earlier this week:
“Last September, I received an offer from Sam Altman, who wanted to hire me to voice the current ChatGPT 4.0 system. He told me that he felt that by my voicing the system, I could bridge the gap between tech companies and creatives and help consumers to feel comfortable with the seismic shift concerning humans and Al. He said he felt that my voice would be comforting to people.
After much consideration and for personal reasons, declined the offer. Nine months later, my friends, family and the general public all noted how much the newest system named “Sky” sounded like me. 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.
her
— Sam Altman (@sama) May 13, 2024
Mr. Altman even insinuated that the similarity was intentional, tweeting a single word “her” – a reference to the film in which | voiced a chat system, Samantha, who forms an intimate relationship with a human. Two days before the ChatGPT 4.0 demo was released, Mr. Altman contacted my agent, asking me to reconsider. Before we could connect, the system was out there.
As a result of their actions, I was forced to hire legal counsel, who wrote two letters to Mr. Altman and OpenAl, setting out what they had done and asking them to detail the exact process by which they created the “Sky” voice. Consequently, OpenAl reluctantly agreed to take down the “Sky” voice. In a time when we are all grappling with deepfakes and the protection of our own likeness, our own work, our own identities, I believe these are questions that deserve absolute clarity.
I look forward to resolution in the form of transparency and the passage of appropriate legislation to help ensure that individual rights are protected.”
This is significant.
Scarlett’s filmography has grossed more than $15 billion worldwide, making her one of the highest-grossing female box office stars of all time. She is also one of the last well-liked movie stars, with a large global fan base.
Over the last few years, the AI sector has outraged average artists, musicians, and writers, and the majority of AI safety experts. They are now aggravating one of Hollywood’s wealthiest, most powerful, and most influential actors. Hopefully some accountability is coming.
*****
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