Actress Scarlett Johansson is considering legal action against Sam Altman and OpenAI, alleging that her voice was used for ChatGPT without her consent.
Johansson, renowned for voicing the AI assistant in the 2013 film “Her,” claims that ChatGPT’s “Sky” voice is so strikingly similar to hers that even her closest friends were unable to tell the difference.
In a statement to USA TODAY, Johansson recounted how Altman had initially approached her to be the voice for his AI system. After she declined, she alleges, he went ahead and replicated her voice. Altman reportedly made another attempt to recruit her just before the ChatGPT 4.0 demo was released.
“Two days before the ChatGPT 4.0 demo, Mr. Altman reached out to my agent, asking me to reconsider,” Johansson said. “By the time we could respond, the system was already live.”
Altman has refuted claims that the voice belongs to Johansson. OpenAI maintains that it supports stronger protections against deepfakes and strives to ensure its synthetic voices do not mimic real individuals.
“The voice of Sky is not Scarlett Johansson’s, nor was it intended to be,” Altman stated. “We selected the voice actor for Sky’s voice prior to any outreach to Ms. Johansson. Out of respect, we have paused using Sky’s voice in our products and apologize to Ms. Johansson for any miscommunication.”
The latest ChatGPT model demo, launched last week, featured a “Voice Mode” that included the “Sky” voice.
“When I heard the demo, I was stunned and upset that Mr. Altman would choose a voice so similar to mine that even my closest friends and the media couldn’t distinguish it,” Johansson remarked. “Mr. Altman even hinted at the similarity with a tweet saying ‘her’ – a nod to the film where I voiced the AI assistant, Samantha.”
OpenAI announced it is “pausing” the use of the Sky voice to address concerns about its selection process.
A blog post from OpenAI clarified that Sky’s voice “is not an imitation of Scarlett Johansson but belongs to another professional actress using her own natural speaking voice,” and emphasized the careful selection process that took place over five months.
Johansson’s legal team has sent two letters to Altman and OpenAI, demanding details on how the “Sky” voice was created. Consequently, OpenAI agreed to remove the “Sky” voice.
This news, first reported by NPR, comes as OpenAI faces other legal challenges from media companies, authors, and artists for allegedly using their materials without consent or compensation.
“Johansson, a globally recognized actress, represents creatives who are now dealing with the impact of automated systems diminishing the value of their work. OpenAI’s decision to use her voice will bring justified scrutiny,” wrote journalist Casey Newton in Platformer.
Altman previously stated that he and other OpenAI executives were inspired by “Her,” the story of a man (Joaquin Phoenix) who falls in love with his virtual assistant Samantha (Johansson).
After the recent announcement, OpenAI employees referenced the movie on social media platform X, with Altman posting a single word: “her.”
Mira Murati, OpenAI’s chief technology officer, clarified that the team was more inspired by human conversation than by “Her.” “We aim for natural, rich, and interactive responses,” she told the Wall Street Journal.
In response to USA TODAY, ChatGPT said Sky’s voice “doesn’t specifically mimic Scarlett Johansson’s voice,” and was designed to have a “neutral, natural tone rather than emulate any particular celebrity’s voice.”
Johansson, a star in the Marvel universe, previously challenged major corporations, notably settling a breach of contract lawsuit against Walt Disney in 2021 over her payout for “Black Widow.”
Here is Johansson’s full statement:
“Last September, Sam Altman offered me the opportunity to voice the ChatGPT 4.0 system. He believed my voice could bridge the gap between tech companies and creatives, providing comfort to users amidst the shift toward AI. After careful consideration, I declined the offer.
Nine months later, my friends, family, and the public noted how much the latest system, named ‘Sky,’ sounded like me.
When I heard the demo, I was shocked and angered. Mr. Altman even hinted at the similarity with a tweet saying ‘her’ – a reference to the film where I voiced the chat system, Samantha.
Two days before the ChatGPT 4.0 demo, Mr. Altman contacted my agent, asking me to reconsider. Before we could connect, the system was already live.
As a result, I had to hire legal counsel, who sent letters to Mr. Altman and OpenAI, demanding an explanation of how they created the ‘Sky’ voice. OpenAI has since agreed to remove the voice.
In an era where deepfakes and the protection of personal likeness are significant concerns, it is crucial to seek clarity. I look forward to resolving this through transparency and appropriate legislation to protect individual rights.”
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