OpenAI removes one of the voices used by ChatGPT. Users discovered that it sounded similar to Scarlett Johansson’s company announced on Monday, and Johansson herself released a statement saying she had retained legal counsel to inquire about Sky’s voice and obtain detailed information about its creation. Sky is now on hold after OpenAI used it in a demonstration of the recent GPT-4o model last week.
“We believe that AI voices should not intentionally imitate a celebrity’s distinctive voice – Sky’s voice is not an imitation of Scarlett Johansson, but belongs to another professional actress who uses her own, naturally speaking voice,” the company said in a statement. blog post. “To protect their privacy, we cannot share the names of our voice talent.”
A video of the demonstration went viral on social media last week as users thought the voice was similar to Johansson’s. Some mocked that the voice existed too flirtatiouswhile others compared it to male fantasy.
The flirtatious voice can be compared to the 2013 film “Her”, in which Johansson voices a sensual virtual assistant. The main character of the film, played by Joaquin Phoenix, falls in love with a virtual assistant.
While the company did not compare Sky’s voice to Johansson’s, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman did he tweeted the word “She” after a corporate event.
TechCrunch confirmed that Johansson released a statement later Monday saying that OpenAI had contacted her in September about securing a voice, which was first reported by NPR correspondent Bobby Allyn. In a statement, she stated that she declined “after careful consideration and for personal reasons” and that she was “shocked” when she heard the demo released.
The statement also said it was “forced to retain legal counsel” and that the company “reluctantly agreed” to Sky’s voice change.
Last week’s OpenAI demo was intended to showcase the chatbot’s improved conversational abilities, but it went viral after a sultry voice chuckled at almost everything an OpenAI employee said. At one point, the chatbot told the employee, “Wow, that’s a really nice outfit you have.” At another point, after receiving a compliment, the chatbot said, “Stop, you’re making me blush.”
In its blog post, OpenAI says it wants chatbot voices to sound “accessible” and “inspire trust.” He also wants them to have a “warm, engaging, confidence-inspiring and charismatic voice.”
In the future, OpenAI plans to “introduce additional voices in ChatGPT to better match users’ diverse interests and preferences.”
Here is Johansson’s full statement:
“Last September, I received an offer from Sam Altman to hire me to support the current ChatGPT 4.0 system. He told me that he believed that by voicing my opinion on the system, I could bridge the gap between tech companies and creators and aid consumers feel comfortable with the seismic shifts regarding humans and AI. He said he thought my voice would be comforting to people.
After much consideration and for personal reasons, I rejected this offer. Nine months later, my friends, family and the general public noticed how much the newest system called “Sky” sounded like me.
When I heard the released demo, I was shocked, furious, and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would employ a voice that sounded so eerily similar to mine that my closest friends and news outlets couldn’t tell the difference. Mr. Altman even suggested that the similarity was intentional, tweeting the single word “she” – a reference to the film in which I voiced Samantha, who develops an intimate relationship with a human on a chat system.
Two days before the release of the ChatGPT 4.0 demo, Mr. Altman contacted my agent and asked me to reconsider. By the time we could connect, the system was ready.
As a result of their actions, I was forced to retain legal counsel who wrote two letters to Mr. Altman and OpenAI describing what they did and asking for a detailed description of the process by which they created the “Sky” voice. As a result, OpenAI reluctantly agreed to remove the “Sky” voice.
At a time when we are all struggling with deepfakes and the protection of our own likeness, our own work and our identity, I believe these are questions that deserve absolute clarity. I look forward to a transparency solution and the passage of appropriate legislation that will aid ensure that individual rights are protected.”
OpenAI shared the following statement from Altman: “Sky’s voice does not belong to Scarlett Johansson and was never intended to resemble her voice. Before we contacted Ms. Johansson, we had cast Sky’s voice actor. Out of respect for Ms. Johansson, we have stopped using Sky’s voice in our products. We apologize to Ms. Johansson for not communicating better.”