Scarlett Johansson says a ChatGPT voice is 'eerily similar' to hers ...
OpenAI announced on Monday its decision to discontinue the use of one of its ChatGPT voices, named Sky, after actress Scarlett Johansson pointed out its striking resemblance to her own voice. This move came following questions raised about the selection process of lifelike audio options available for the artificial intelligence chatbot.
Scarlett Johansson's Concern
Scarlett Johansson, known for voicing a futuristic AI assistant in the movie "Her," revealed that OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, approached her requesting to lend her voice to the system. However, Johansson declined the offer and was surprised to find that the Sky voice released by OpenAI closely imitated her voice, causing confusion even among her close friends and the media.
Upon receiving legal letters from Johansson's lawyers inquiring about the voice creation process, OpenAI agreed to remove the Sky voice. In response, Altman clarified that the voice actor behind Sky was cast before any contact with Johansson and was not intended to mimic her voice.
OpenAI's Response
OpenAI addressed the situation in a blog post, asserting that AI voices should not intentionally mimic a celebrity's voice. While the company acknowledged the similarity between Sky and Johansson's voice, it emphasized that the chosen voice belonged to a different professional actress, whose identity was kept private for confidentiality reasons.
The voice capabilities for ChatGPT were introduced in September, offering users five different voices for engaging with the AI assistant. The feature, initially exclusive to paid subscribers, was made free for all users with the mobile app in November.
Advancements in ChatGPT
OpenAI continually enhances ChatGPT's interactions and capabilities. The latest update introduces the GPT-4o model, which can emulate human speech patterns, recognize emotions, and provide real-time responses across various media formats. While GPT-4o is not widely available yet, it will gradually be accessible to select users in the upcoming weeks.
Despite the technological advancements, the interactions of ChatGPT have sparked discussions on the portrayal of gender in voice assistants. Critics have pointed out the perpetuation of gender stereotypes in AI technologies, emphasizing the need to address biases in voice assistant development.
As OpenAI progresses with its AI models and voice capabilities, the company remains committed to refining its technology responsibly and inclusively.
