Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson has made headlines recently by accusing OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, of using a voice in its AI chatbot that she claims sounds strikingly similar to hers. Johansson alleged that OpenAI copied her voice after she turned down a request by CEO Sam Altman to license it.
A recent report by the Washington Post has shed light on the controversy, suggesting that OpenAI had issued a casting call last year and hired an actress for the voice of ‘Sky’, the character Johansson alleges resembles her voice. According to the publication, documents reveal that the voice actor for ‘Sky’ was hired months before Sam Altman contacted Johansson. Furthermore, interviews with individuals involved in the hiring process indicate that OpenAI did not specify a requirement for a Scarlett Johansson-like voice.
The agent representing the actress hired for the role of ‘Sky’ confirmed that neither Scarlett Johansson nor her movie Her was ever mentioned during the hiring process. However, Johansson maintains that she was approached by Sam Altman in September of the previous year to provide her voice for ChatGPT, an offer she declined. She insinuated that the similarity between her voice and ‘Sky’ was intentional, pointing to Altman’s cryptic tweet featuring the word ‘her’ as suggestive of this.
Support for Johansson’s claim has come from SAG-AFTRA, a prominent body representing television and radio artists. Following their backing, Altman announced that OpenAI would be removing ‘Sky’ from its products. Johansson’s accusation has sparked discussions about AI companies using copyrighted content without permission to train tools like ChatGPT.
Mitch Glazier, head of the Recording Industry Association of America, believes Johansson may have a strong case against OpenAI. With AI tools gaining traction, the debate over the use of actors’ voices and images has become a focal point, prompting Hollywood studios to explore how they can leverage technology to enhance entertainment while ensuring clear distinctions between AI voices and human counterparts.
