Scarlett Johansson says ChatGPT voice 'eerily similar' to hers and ...
OpenAI has decided to stop using one of its ChatGPT voices due to comparisons drawn to Scarlett Johansson, who famously played the role of a fictional AI assistant in the movie "Her." Scarlett Johansson herself stated that the voice in question sounded remarkably similar to hers.
In a post on the social media platform X, OpenAI announced their intentions to pause the use of Sky, one of the voices available for ChatGPT users to interact with. The company responded to concerns raised about the selection process for the lifelike audio options, particularly regarding the voice named Sky.
Scarlett Johansson's Involvement
Scarlett Johansson revealed that OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, had approached her in September to lend her voice to the system, which she declined. Upon hearing the released demo, Johansson expressed shock and disbelief at the striking similarity between the voice and her own. Legal action was taken, leading OpenAI to agree to remove the Sky voice.
OpenAI emphasized in a blog post that their intention was not to mimic a celebrity's voice deliberately. They explained that the voice of Sky belongs to a different actress, whose identity they chose not to disclose for privacy reasons.
OpenAI's Response
Following Scarlett Johansson's statements, Altman clarified that the voice actor for Sky was cast before any contact with Johansson and it was never meant to resemble hers. As a gesture of respect, OpenAI decided to halt the use of Sky's voice in their products.
OpenAI recently introduced voice capabilities for ChatGPT, allowing users to engage in conversations with the AI assistant. The latest update, GPT-4o, boasts faster processing speeds and the ability to reason across various media formats in real-time.
Future Developments
GPT-4o is set to be released gradually to select users in the upcoming weeks and months. While text and image capabilities have already been rolled out, the new voice mode will only be accessible to paid subscribers of ChatGPT Plus.
With advancements in AI technology, including human-like responses and mood detection, ChatGPT continues to evolve. These developments have sparked comparisons to the themes explored in the movie "Her," where a man forms a deep connection with an AI-operating system.
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