OpenAI has halted the use of its recently launched voice assistant ‘Sky’ following accusations that it imitates Scarlett Johansson’s voice without her consent. The incident has sparked discussions on the legality and ethics of AI voices resembling real individuals.
OpenAI Pulls Voice Assistant Amid Controversy Over Scarlett Johansson Sound-alike
On May 20, 2024, OpenAI suspended its recently released voice assistant, “Sky,” after allegations that it closely mimicked Scarlett Johansson’s voice. Johansson stated that OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, had twice requested her permission to use her voice for the assistant, both of which she declined. Despite this, the released assistant reportedly sounded “eerily similar” to her voice, leading Johansson to employ legal counsel to address the issue.
The controversy intensified when Altman tweeted a single word, “her,” reminiscent of Johansson’s role in the 2013 film “Her,” where she voiced a virtual assistant. OpenAI defended itself by stating that Sky’s voice was provided by another professional actress and was not an imitation. The company underscored that the voices were selected from over 400 submissions.
The incident has sparked broader conversations about the legality and ethics of using AI voices that closely resemble those of real individuals without consent. Johansson’s action against OpenAI is part of a wider scrutiny faced by the company, which is currently handling multiple lawsuits related to copyright violations of creative works used to train its AI models.
