Scarlett Johansson "angered and in disbelief" over the "eerily" similar new ChatGPT voice that resembles hers

Scarlett Johansson has publicly criticized a new voice developed for OpenAI's ChatGPT that seemingly sounds remarkably similar to her own. The actress’s disapproval was palpable in her statements, as per the report in BBC:

"It's so peculiarly unmistakably my voice—or a version of it at least. The idea that a company can use a voice that sounds indistinguishable from mine, which I suppose I should take as a compliment, but instead it's just deeply disturbing," Johansson remarked.

Following the release of the 'Sky' voice feature, Johansson expressed her disbelief and dismay, explaining that the experience was quite jarring.

“When I heard the released demo, I was shocked, angered and in disbelief that Mr Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so eerily similar to mine," she wrote.

This came after the CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, admitted that the voice was meant for a different purpose and not to copy Johansson.

Despite Altman's claim that Sky's voice belongs to another actress and wasn’t intended to sound like Johansson, the similarity was close enough to invite a reaction. It also led to a stop in using Sky’s voice to show respect for the actress.

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Scarlett Johansson’s criticism of AI voice resemblance

Scarlett Johansson's apprehension is grounded in not just personal sentiment but also the potential for confusion and misinformation. She highlighted the immediate effects of the voice's release, stating:

"People I work with and trust were questioning whether I had done a project for OpenAI. I had to tell them it wasn't me—it's unsettling."

In response to Johansson’s statement and the ensuing discussions, OpenAI took down the voice and apologized for not communicating better, emphasizing that Sky's voice was cast independently.

OpenAI was quick to address Johansson's grievances, with its CEO Sam Altman acknowledging their oversight:

"We respect Scarlett Johansson's right as an artist and a professional and admit that we've made a mistake in not fully considering the implications of using a voice that closely resembles hers."

People in the movie and TV business are paying a lot of attention to this issue because it brings up important worries about how much control artists have over their own voice.

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Johansson seeks legal counsel for AI voice replication concerns

Johansson has not only voiced her concerns but has taken action by seeking legal advice.

"It’s clear that this chatbot technology is here to stay and will continue to advance, but we need to have some semblance of regulation to address the ethics involved," she highlighted, calling for the need for appropriate legislation in this new technological frontier.

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Scarlett Johansson's strong reaction to the voice created by OpenAI that sounds like hers has started a bigger conversation about tech, who we are, and what's right or wrong. Johansson's comments have shown how important it is to make rules and systems to keep people safe when it comes to AI.