OpenAI has halted the use of synthetic voice ‘Sky’ after Scarlett Johansson raised concerns about its resemblance to her AI assistant character in the film ‘Her’, sparking debates on biases in technology and AI safety practices.
OpenAI Halts ChatGPT Voice After Scarlett Johansson Comments
New York, CNN — OpenAI has paused the use of a synthetic voice named Sky after actor Scarlett Johansson expressed concerns over its resemblance to her portrayal of an AI assistant in the 2013 film “Her.” Johansson, in a statement, disclosed her “shock, anger, and disbelief” at the similarity between Sky’s voice and the character she voiced in the movie.
OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, faced backlash over the voice, which critics noted seemed overly familiar and was labeled as stemming from a “male developer’s fantasy.” The company addressed these concerns in a post on X, indicating they were pausing the use of Sky.
Altman acknowledged that the voice of Sky was not actually Johansson’s but belonged to a different actress. He reiterated this point on Monday, also stating that OpenAI had cast the voice actor before any outreach to Johansson. Johansson further revealed Altman’s unsuccessful efforts to hire her to voice ChatGPT 4.0.
The controversy led to viral discussions online, and the issue prompted a segment on “The Daily Show” where the voice was critiqued as being overly error-prone and flirtatious. Johansson, having engaged legal counsel, stated that OpenAI agreed to remove Sky following her direction.
The incident draws attention to larger societal issues regarding biases in technology development, often dominated by White men. Additionally, OpenAI has faced scrutiny over its safety practices and long-term priorities, with recent internal critiques highlighting concerns about the company’s focus on AI safety.
As AI technology continues to evolve and integrate into daily life, OpenAI emphasized its commitment to balancing safety with capabilities while addressing public concerns about their products.
