Scarlett Johansson SLAMS OpenAI’s “Eerily Similar” Voice After Declining Offer | E! News
TLDRScarlett Johansson has publicly criticized OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman for using a voice in their AI software that she claims resembles her own without permission. She alleges that Altman offered her to be the voice of the chatbot 4.0 system in September, which she declined for personal reasons. However, she was shocked to find a demo of the new system called Sky that sounded eerily similar to her voice. Johansson's legal team has been engaged, and OpenAI has paused the use of Sky's voice to address the concerns. The actress calls for transparency and legislation to protect individual rights against deepfakes and identity misuse.
Takeaways
- 🗣️ Scarlett Johansson accuses OpenAI CEO Sam Altman of using a voice in AI software that resembles hers without permission.
- 📅 Johansson was offered to be the voice of OpenAI's chatbot 4.0 system in September, which she declined for personal reasons.
- 🗣️ The actress claims that OpenAI proceeded to use a voice 'that sounded like me' in their new system called Sky.
- 🎥 Johansson was particularly shocked and angered by the demo, which she heard and found 'eerily similar' to her own voice.
- 💬 Sam Altman tweeted a single word 'Her', referencing the film where Johansson voiced a chat system, which she took as an admission of intentional similarity.
- 📞 Altman allegedly contacted Johansson's agent to reconsider the offer just days before the demo was released.
- 📜 Johansson's legal counsel was hired as a result of OpenAI's actions, and she issued two letters to Altman and OpenAI.
- 🛑 OpenAI agreed to pause the use of Sky's voice following the controversy.
- 🚫 OpenAI denies that Sky's voice was an imitation of Johansson and states it belongs to a different professional actress.
- 📝 Johansson calls for transparency, clarity, and appropriate legislation to protect individual rights and likeness in the context of AI and deep fakes.
Q & A
What issue has Scarlett Johansson raised with OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman?
-Scarlett Johansson has accused Sam Altman of using a voice in OpenAI's artificial intelligence software that sounds like her own without her consent.
Did Scarlett Johansson receive an offer from OpenAI to be the voice of their chatbot 4.0 system?
-Yes, she received an offer in September to be the voice of the chatbot 4.0 system, which she declined for personal reasons.
What was Scarlett Johansson's reaction when she heard the released demo of the new system called Sky?
-She was shocked, angered, and in disbelief that Sam Altman would pursue a voice that sounded eerily similar to hers.
What did Sam Altman tweet on May 13th that Scarlett Johansson believes is a reference to her?
-Sam Altman tweeted a single word 'Her', which is a reference to the film in which Johansson voiced a chat system named Samantha.
Did Sam Altman contact Scarlett Johansson before the release of the Sky system demo?
-Yes, he contacted her agent four days before the demo was released, asking her to reconsider the offer.
What actions did Scarlett Johansson take as a result of OpenAI's actions?
-Johansson was forced to hire legal counsel and her lawyers wrote two letters to Sam Altman and OpenAI.
What was OpenAI's response to the concerns raised by Scarlett Johansson?
-OpenAI tweeted that they are working to pause the use of Sky while they address the concerns and denied that the audio intentionally replicated Johansson's voice.
What does Scarlett Johansson believe should be done to protect individual rights in the context of AI and deep fakes?
-She believes that there should be transparency, the passage of appropriate legislation, and clarity on these issues to protect individual rights.
What did OpenAI state about the voice of Sky in their May 19th statement?
-OpenAI stated that Sky's voice is not an imitation of Scarlett Johansson but belongs to a different professional actress using her own natural speaking voice.
How did E! News attempt to get further comments on Scarlett Johansson's statement?
-E! News reached out to Sam Altman, Chat GBT, and Open AI for comments on the actress's statement but has not received a response.
Outlines
📢 Scarlet Johansson Accuses AI Company of Voice Mimicry
Actress Scarlet Johansson has publicly called out Open AI and its CEO, Sam Altman, for allegedly using a voice in their AI software that she believes resembles her own without her permission. According to a statement released by her representative on May 20 to NBC News, Johansson claims that Altman had previously offered her a role as the voice of the chatbot 4.0 system, which she declined for personal reasons. Despite her refusal, she accuses the company of proceeding with a voice that 'sounded like me' in their new system called Sky. Johansson expresses her shock and anger upon hearing the demo and accuses Altman of intentionally pursuing a voice that was eerily similar to hers. She also mentions that her friends, family, and the public have noted the similarities. Altman's response to the controversy was a single-word tweet directed at Johansson, referencing a film where she voiced a chat system named Samantha. Prior to the release of the demo, Johansson alleges that Altman contacted her agent, asking her to reconsider the offer. As a result of the company's actions, Johansson was compelled to hire legal counsel. Her lawyers reportedly sent two letters to Altman and Open AI, leading to the company's reluctant agreement to remove the Sky voice. Johansson concludes by emphasizing the importance of clarity and transparency in the era of deep fakes and identity protection, advocating for appropriate legislation to safeguard individual rights. Open AI responded to the concerns on May 19, stating they are pausing the use of Sky and denying any deliberate mimicry of Johansson's voice, attributing Sky's voice to a different professional actress using her natural speaking voice.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Scarlett Johansson
💡OpenAI
💡Sam Altman
💡Artificial Intelligence (AI)
💡Chatbot
💡Consent
💡Sky
💡Legal Counsel
💡Deepfakes
💡Legislation
Highlights
Scarlett Johansson accuses OpenAI of using a voice in its AI software that sounds like her own without her consent.
Johansson was offered to be the voice of OpenAI's chat gbt 4.0 system in September but declined for personal reasons.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman allegedly felt Johansson's voice would be comforting to people.
Johansson was shocked, angered, and in disbelief after hearing the demo of the new system called Sky.
Sam Altman tweeted a single word 'Her', referencing the film where Johansson voiced a chat system.
Johansson's legal counsel was hired as a result of OpenAI's actions.
Johansson's lawyers wrote two letters to Altman and OpenAI demanding the removal of the Sky voice.
OpenAI agreed to take down the Sky voice after receiving letters from Johansson's lawyers.
Johansson looks forward to resolution through transparency and the passage of appropriate legislation to protect individual rights.
OpenAI tweeted they are working to pause the use of Sky while addressing concerns over the chosen voices.
OpenAI denies that the audio in Sky intentionally replicated Johansson's voice.
Sky's voice belongs to a different professional actress using her own natural speaking voice.
OpenAI states they cannot share the names of their voice talents to protect privacy.
E! News has reached out to Sam Altman, Chat GBT, and OpenAI for comments but has not received a response yet.