Statement from Scarlett Johansson on the OpenAI "Sky" voice (twitter.com)

Article summary

Scarlett Johansson has expressed shock and anger over a new ChatGPT voice that sounds like her, after she had declined OpenAI's offer to be the voice of the AI. OpenAI's CTO initially denied that the voice was patterned after Johansson, but the company has since paused the use of the voice and apologized for not communicating better. The situation has sparked a debate about the use of soundalikes and the rights of celebrities to control their likeness. The company's intentions and actions are being questioned, with some arguing that they tried to imitate Johansson's voice without her permission.

Main themes

• AI voice assistants
• Celebrity likeness rights
• Soundalikes and impersonation
• Corporate responsibility
• Intellectual property

What commenters say

• The company's initial approach to Scarlett Johansson and subsequent use of a soundalike voice constitutes a violation of her rights and an attempt to deceive the public.
• The use of soundalikes is a common practice in the industry, but it becomes problematic when it involves misrepresentation or exploitation of a celebrity's likeness.
• The company's apology and pause on using the voice are insufficient, and they should have been more transparent about their intentions and actions from the start.
• The fact that the company first approached Johansson and then used a soundalike voice suggests that they were trying to capitalize on her likeness without her permission or compensation.
• The situation highlights the need for clearer regulations and guidelines on the use of AI-generated voices and soundalikes, particularly when it comes to celebrity likenesses.
• The company's actions demonstrate a lack of respect for Johansson's autonomy and rights, and their behavior is symptomatic of a broader cultural problem in the tech industry.