Scarlett Johansson issued a statement to NPR’s Bobby Allyn expressing shock and anger over OpenAI’s GPT-4o announcement, revealing that despite declining an offer from Sam Altman to voice the system, the new voice assistant Sky closely resembled her voice, causing confusion among her friends, family, and the public. (Source: Image by RR)

CEO Sam Altman’s Previous Tweets Link Sky’s Voice to Scarlett Johansson’s Role in ‘Her’

OpenAI, known for launching ChatGPT and pushing AI into the mainstream, is now facing controversy over the voice of its new AI assistant, Sky, which closely resembles Scarlett Johansson’s voice. Johansson issued a statement expressing her shock and anger, noting that she had declined an offer to voice the system but found the new voice eerily similar to hers, prompting her to hire lawyers. OpenAI responded by pausing the use of Sky’s voice and claiming the resemblance was unintentional, although CEO Sam Altman had previously made references to Johansson’s voice in promotional materials.

This incident, as reported in slate.com, has drawn significant attention, particularly given Johansson’s recent involvement in union negotiations over AI’s impact on the film industry, and has led to increased scrutiny of OpenAI’s practices. The company, which has faced numerous lawsuits over its use of copyrighted material to train AI models, now confronts public backlash for its handling of Johansson’s voice likeness. Altman’s defensive stance on this issue contrasts with his public statements on transparency and ethical AI use, raising questions about the company’s true priorities.

Internally, OpenAI has experienced turmoil, with high-profile resignations and internal conflicts over the direction and safety of AI development. Last November, Altman was briefly ousted by the board for allegedly not being candid, leading to a major internal conflict that resulted in the departure of several key figures, including Ilya Sutskever. These departures, along with reports of a restrictive off-boarding agreement for employees, have painted a picture of a company struggling with transparency and internal cohesion.

Despite Altman’s efforts to present OpenAI as a responsible and transparent leader in AI, ongoing issues, including aggressive tactics in acquiring data and handling intellectual property disputes, suggest a different reality. The controversy over Johansson’s voice and the subsequent damage control efforts highlight the gap between OpenAI’s public image and its internal practices, calling into question the leadership’s commitment to ethical and transparent AI development.

read more at slate.com