In a startling turn of events, renowned actress Scarlett Johansson has issued a statement regarding her alleged voice being use by OpenAI. The statement, confirmed by journalist Yashar Ali through Johansson’s publicist, sheds light on a controversial interaction with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Johansson disclosed that in September of last year, Altman approached her with an offer to voice the ChatGPT 4.0 system. Altman believed her voice would bridge the gap between tech companies and creatives, helping consumers feel comfortable with the emerging AI technology. Despite the appeal, Johansson declined the offer for personal reasons.
However, nine months later, Johansson and those close to her noticed a striking similarity between her voice and the newly released ChatGPT 4.0 system, named “Sky.” Johansson expressed shock, anger, and disbelief at the resemblance. Altman had even hinted at the intentionality of this similarity by tweeting “her,” referencing Johansson’s role in the film “Her,” where she voiced an AI system.
Two days before the demo release, Altman reached out to Johansson’s agent, asking her to reconsider. Before a connection could be made, the system was publicly released. This led Johansson to hire legal counsel, who sent two letters to Altman and OpenAI, demanding transparency on how “Sky” was developed. OpenAI ultimately agreed to remove 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,” Johansson said in the statement.
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In response to the situation, journalist Cas Piancey criticized Altman’s actions, questioning his judgment and the legal oversight at OpenAI. Piancey expressed incredulity at Altman’s expectation that Johansson’s refusal would be ignored without consequence.
Johansson starred in the 2013 film “Her,” directed by Spike Jonze, providing the voice for Samantha, an advanced operating system with artificial intelligence. The film explores the complex relationship between the protagonist, played by Joaquin Phoenix, and Samantha. Johansson’s performance was widely praised for its depth and emotional resonance, despite being a voice-only role.
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