Scarlett Johansson says OpenAI used her voice without permission

Introduction

This morning, Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson raised concerns about the use of her voice in OpenAI's virtual assistant, Sky. Johansson noted that the voice used by Sky sounded eerily similar to her own, referencing her role as an artificial intelligence system in the movie "Her" in 2013. OpenAI CEO Sam Alman reportedly wanted to hire Johansson to voice Sky, but she declined the offer for personal reasons. When Johansson heard the AI voice, she expressed shock and disbelief, pointing out the intentional similarity implied by Ultman's tweet "her" on the day the GPT product was announced. OpenAI has denied allegations of intentionally replicating Johansson's voice, stating that the voice actor behind Sky was cast before any contact was made with Johansson. Despite this, out of respect for Johansson, OpenAI has paused using Sky's voice in their products. This controversy highlights the ongoing issues surrounding AI ethics, deep fakes, and the need for transparency in data sourcing for AI training models.

Keywords

Scarlett Johansson, OpenAI, virtual assistant, Sky, AI voice, Her movie, Sam Alman, GPT product, deep fakes, transparency, data sourcing, AI ethics

FAQ

1. Was Scarlett Johansson directly approached by OpenAI to voice the virtual assistant, Sky?

   • Scarlett Johansson declined an offer to voice Sky for personal reasons, according to reports. OpenAI claims the voice actor for Sky was cast before any outreach to Johansson.

2. Why did Scarlett Johansson raise concerns about the AI voice resembling hers?

   • Johansson felt that the voice used by OpenAI's virtual assistant, Sky, sounded eerily similar to her own voice, especially considering her role as an AI system in the movie "Her."

3. Has OpenAI admitted to replicating Scarlett Johansson's voice intentionally?

   • OpenAI has categorically denied the allegations, stating that there was no intention to make Sky's voice resemble Scarlett Johansson's. The company has paused using Sky's voice in their products out of respect for Johansson.

4. What broader issues does this controversy highlight in the field of artificial intelligence?

   • The incident involving Scarlett Johansson's voice and OpenAI brings attention to concerns about AI ethics, deep fakes, transparency in data sourcing for training models, and the need for clearer boundaries regarding the use of celebrities' likenesses in AI technology.