Scarlett Johansson’s legal team is pressing OpenAI for answers regarding the development of an AI personal assistant voice that Johansson claims bears an uncanny resemblance to her own. This issue came to light after OpenAI’s recent demonstration of a voice assistant named “Sky,” which many have compared to Johansson’s role in the 2013 film Her.
Johansson’s publicist revealed to NPR that her lawyers have sent two letters to OpenAI, demanding details on how the voice was developed. This revelation has not been previously reported.
During a live demonstration of “Sky” last week, observers noted striking similarities to Johansson’s voice in Her, where she plays the AI voice of a computer’s operating system. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who has previously expressed his admiration for Her, fueled these comparisons by posting “Her” on X (formerly Twitter) following the new ChatGPT version announcement. However, OpenAI executives later denied any intentional connection to Johansson.
In a surprising turn, OpenAI halted the use of “Sky” just before midnight Pacific time on Sunday, citing “questions about how we chose the voices in ChatGPT.” A company spokeswoman declined to provide further details.
Johansson feels betrayed, as Altman had been courting her for months to license her voice for the new ChatGPT assistant. Altman believed Johansson’s voice would comfort users uneasy about AI technology. Despite this, Johansson declined the offer for personal reasons after much consideration.
Just two days before the new ChatGPT’s unveiling, Altman reached out to Johansson’s team again, urging her to reconsider. However, before any further discussion could take place, OpenAI launched its new product featuring a voice that Johansson says mimics her own likeness.
Johansson’s legal team is now seeking transparency from OpenAI, aiming to understand how the voice assistant was developed and whether any intellectual property rights were infringed. As this legal battle unfolds, it highlights the growing tensions between AI development and personal likeness rights.
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