OpenAI Suspends ChatGPT Voice Amid Scarlett Johansson Controversy

OpenAI Suspends ChatGPT Voice Amid Scarlett Johansson Controversy

May 20, 2024 - OpenAI has announced a temporary suspension of the "Sky" voice in its ChatGPT voice mode following controversy over its selection and acquisition process.

In a post on X, OpenAI acknowledged the concerns regarding the Sky voice and stated it is taking steps to address them:

OpenAI @OpenAI

"We’ve heard questions about how we chose the voices in ChatGPT, especially Sky. We are working to pause the use of Sky while we address them."

The controversy began when actress Scarlett Johansson issued a statement about her interactions with OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman. Johansson revealed that Altman had approached her to contribute her voice to ChatGPT 4.0, an offer she declined. However, upon the release of the Sky voice, Johansson's friends and family noted its striking resemblance to her own voice.

"When I heard the demo, I was shocked, angered, and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so eerily similar to mine that my closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference," Johansson said. She added that Altman contacted her agent two days before the release, seeking reconsideration. In response to the situation, Johansson has engaged a legal team, emphasizing the importance of protecting personal likenesses in the era of deepfakes.

OpenAI responded by outlining its process for selecting voice-over performers for ChatGPT. The company asserted that Sky's voice is not an imitation of Johansson but belongs to another professional actress using her natural speaking voice.

"We believe that AI voices should not deliberately mimic a celebrity's distinctive voice—Sky’s voice is not an imitation of Scarlett Johansson but belongs to a different professional actress using her own natural speaking voice," OpenAI stated.

OpenAI further explained that each actor was given a vision for human-AI voice interactions and briefed on the technology’s capabilities, limitations, and risks.

For more details on how OpenAI chose its voices, visit the full statement on their website here.

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