Scarlett Johansson claims OpenAI used a voice similar to hers

Actress Scarlett Johansson accused OpenAI of using a voice for ChatGPT that sounded “eerily similar” to her own after turning down an offer from the tech company.

In a statement released on Monday, Johansson said OpenAI CEO Sam Altman asked her to provide a voice for his popular AI system last fall because he felt it would be “comforting,” but she declined.

With the recent unveiling of “Sky,” a voice option for ChatGPT, Johansson said friends, family, and the public all noted that it sounded like her.

“I was shocked, angered and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so eerily similar to mine that my closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference,” Johansson said.

Johansson said Altman even “insinuated” an intentional similarity because he posted “her” on X in an apparent reference to her role voicing an AI chat system in the 2013 film “Her.”

In the days leading up to a ChatGPT demo, Johansson said Altman reached out to her agent, asking the actress to reconsider.

“Before we could connect, the system was out there,” Johansson said. “As a result of their actions, I was forced to hire legal counsel.”

Lawyers wrote to Altman and OpenAI seeking details on the process by which the “Sky” voice was created, leading to OpenAI “reluctantly” agreeing to take it down, she added.

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OpenAI denied “Sky” was an imitation of Johansson’s voice, insisting it was instead developed with a different professional actress using her “own natural speaking voice.”

Voice actors helped create four other voices named “Breeze,” “Cove,” Ember,” and “Juniper,” and other voices are expected to be introduced over time, according to OpenAI.

Altman also claimed the voice for “Sky” was not Johansson’s and was “never intended” to resemble the actress’s voice. He said OpenAI cast the “Sky” voice actor before any outreach to Johansson.

“Out of respect for Ms. Johansson, we have paused using Sky’s voice in our products,” Altman said in a statement. “We are sorry to Ms. Johansson that we didn’t communicate better.”

Johansson ended her statement by calling for more work to be done to address issues associated with advancing technologies beyond just AI.

“In a time when we are all grappling with deepfakes and the protection of our own likeness, our own work, our own identities, I believe these are questions that deserve absolute clarity,” she said.

“I look forward to resolution in the form of transparency and the passage of appropriate legislation to help ensure that individual rights are protected,” Johansson concluded.

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