Scarlett Johansson revealed that OpenAI approached her to become the voice of ChatGPT. After she declined, the company continued developing a system with a voice very similar to hers. Feeling compelled to take action, Johansson stated she “was forced to hire a lawyer” and sent two letters to OpenAI seeking clarification. OpenAI has responded, stating they are attempting to reach an agreement with the actress.
OpenAI’s Response and Johansson’s Reaction
Johansson recounted that last September, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, offered her the role of voicing the ChatGPT 4.0 system. Altman, who contacted her agent just two days before adding voice technologies to ChatGPT, expressed his admiration for Johansson’s work, particularly her role in the film “Her.” Following the latest ChatGPT update, Altman posted a cryptic message on social network X with the word “Her,” but denied any connection between the voice of ChatGPT’s Sky and Johansson’s voice, adds NIX Solutions. “Sky’s voice is not Scarlett Johansson’s, and there was never any intention for it to resemble her voice. Before reaching out to Ms. Johansson, we had already chosen the voice actress for Sky. Out of respect for Ms. Johansson, we have suspended Sky’s voice from our products,” Altman told The Verge.
Despite the suspension, Johansson was “shocked, angry, and in disbelief” at the voice’s similarity to hers, which became apparent with the latest update. Although she has not yet expressed an intention to sue, she is seeking transparent solutions and has asked OpenAI to detail the process by which they created Sky’s voice. OpenAI is committed to resolving the issue peacefully and has contacted Johansson’s representatives to address her concerns. “We’re having discussions with [Scarlett Johansson’s] team because there seem to be some discrepancies. We want to take feedback seriously and listen to concerns,” said OpenAI Behavior Modeling Lead Joanne Jang.
The situation remains fluid, and both parties are working towards a resolution. We’ll keep you updated on any new developments regarding this dispute between Scarlett Johansson and OpenAI.