Actor Scarlett Johansson says OpenAI CEO Sam Altman makes use of a voice much like hers in its synthetic intelligence voice software program, despite the fact that he declined an invite to make use of it.
Beforehand, OpenAI stated it will withdraw its ChatGPT AI voice referred to as “Sky,” which was launched final week and triggered controversy as a result of it seemed like Johnson’s voice within the film “Her.”
Johnson stated Altman contacted her final September and once more two days earlier than the Might 13 announcement of ChatGPT-4o. The story of a person’s relationship with an artificially clever digital assistant named Samantha.
“After cautious consideration and for private causes, I’ve declined the provide,” Johnson stated in a press release to CNBC. “9 months later, my associates, household and the general public have taken discover that the most recent model of the brand new venture, titled ‘Sky,’ The system sounds a lot like me.”
On the day OpenAI introduced its new synthetic intelligence, Altman tweeted a cryptic message “her.”
“After I heard the demo launched, I used to be shocked, indignant and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so much like mine that even my closest associates and the information media couldn’t inform the distinction,” ” Johnson’s assertion continued. “Mr. Altman even steered the resemblance was intentional, tweeting the phrase ‘her.'”
The actor wrote on Monday that she had employed authorized counsel. Johnson has had run-ins with main corporations like Disney up to now. In 2021, Johnson and Walt Disney settled a breach-of-contract lawsuit filed in opposition to the studio by the “Black Widow” actor.
“We have heard questions on how we choose voices in ChatGPT, particularly Sky,” Microsoft-backed OpenAI launched on X on Monday.
“Sky’s voice is just not an imitation of Scarlett Johansson, however belongs to a different skilled actress utilizing her personal pure talking voice,” the corporate wrote in a weblog submit on Sunday. “To guard them As a result of privateness considerations, we can not reveal the names of our voice actors.”
Johnson stated she wrote two letters to Altman and OpenAI asking them to element the method of making Sky.
“As all of us grapple with the problem of deepfakes and shield our personal likenesses, our personal work, our personal identities, I consider these points deserve absolute readability,” she stated in a press release. “I stay up for transparency within the type of Tackle the problem and move applicable laws to assist guarantee particular person rights are protected.”
OpenAI didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon the actor’s assertion.
Under is Scarlett Johansson’s full assertion:
“Final September, I obtained an invite from Sam Altman to rent me to voice the present ChatGPT 4.0 system. He advised me that he thought that by voicing the system, I may bridge the hole between tech corporations and inventive individuals. And helped by saying he discovered my voice comforting.
After a lot consideration and for private causes, I declined the provide. 9 months later, my associates, household, and the general public had been noticing how a lot the most recent system, referred to as “Sky,” seemed like me.
After I heard the demo launched, I used to be shocked, indignant, and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so much like mine that even my closest associates and the information media couldn’t inform the distinction. Mr. Ultraman even steered that the resemblance was intentional, tweeting the phrase “her” — a reference to the movie through which I voiced Samantha, a chat system who develops an intimate relationship with a human. .
Two days earlier than the ChatGPT 4.0 demo was launched, Mr. Altman contacted my agent and requested me to rethink.The system existed earlier than we linked
On account of their actions, I used to be pressured to rent authorized counsel, who wrote two letters to Mr. Altman and OpenAI setting out what that they had finished and asking them to element the precise course of of making the “Sky” voice. Consequently, OpenAI reluctantly agreed to take away the voice of “Sky”.
As all of us grapple with the problem of deepfakes and shield our personal likenesses, our personal work, our personal identities, I consider these points deserve absolute readability. I stay up for points being resolved with transparency and applicable laws being handed to assist guarantee particular person rights are protected.
