OpenAI introduced on Monday that it will take away one of many voices utilized by ChatGPT after customers found that the voice sounded much like Scarlett Johansson’s. This voice, known as Sky, was utilized by OpenAI final week when demonstrating its new GPT-4o mannequin, and the voice has now been suspended.
The corporate wrote in a weblog put up: “We imagine that synthetic intelligence voices shouldn’t intentionally imitate the distinctive voices of celebrities – Sky’s voice will not be a duplicate of Scarlett Johansson, however belongs to a different skilled actress utilizing her personal voice. Pure talking voices. “To guard their privateness, we can not reveal the names of our voice actors. “
Final week, a demo video circulated on social media, and customers seen that the voice sounded much like Johnson’s. Some derided the sound as too frivolous, whereas others in contrast it to male fantasy.
The flirty voice has been in comparison with the 2013 movie Her, through which Johnson voiced a horny digital assistant. The movie’s protagonist, performed by Joaquin Phoenix, finally ends up falling in love with a digital assistant.
Though the corporate has but to check Sky’s voice to Johansson’s, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman tweeted the phrase “Her” after the corporate’s occasion.
The demo was supposed to showcase the chatbot’s enhanced conversational capabilities, however it went viral after the attractive voice made the OpenAI worker giggle at nearly all the things he stated. At one level, the chatbot instructed an worker, “Wow, that outfit appears nice on you.” One other time, after receiving a praise, the chatbot stated, “Cease it, you made me blush.”
OpenAI stated in its weblog put up that it needs its chatbot’s voice to sound “approachable” and “encourage belief.” It additionally needs them to have “heat, participating, inspiring and charismatic voices”.
Going ahead, OpenAI stated it plans to “introduce extra voices into ChatGPT to higher match customers’ various pursuits and preferences.”
Johnson issued a press release late Monday saying OpenAI approached her in September about offering voice, NPR’s Bobby Allyn reported. She stated in a press release that she declined the request “after cautious consideration and for private causes” and that she was “shocked” when she heard the demo was launched.
The assertion additionally stated she was “compelled to rent authorized counsel” and the corporate “reluctantly agreed” to alter Sky Sound.
We have reached out to OpenAI and Inventive Artists Company for remark and can replace this story once we hear again.
Replace: This text was initially printed at 8 a.m. PT Monday and has been up to date to incorporate Johnson’s assertion.