- Scarlett Johansson alleges that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman tried to hire her as the voice for the company’s conversational AI system, but she declined.
- Johansson claims that OpenAI later released a demo featuring a voice called “Sky” that sounded eerily similar to her own voice from the movie “Her”.
- Johansson is threatening legal action against OpenAI, arguing that the company copied her voice without her permission.
- OpenAI has suspended the “Sky” voice and apologized, stating that it was not intended to resemble Johansson’s voice.
- The incident highlights the limited legal protections for actors and performers against the use of their likeness or voice by AI companies.
Altman’s Outreach and Johansson’s Refusal
Actress Scarlett Johansson is taking a stand against the growing power of artificial intelligence, alleging that OpenAI, the prominent AI research company, has copied her voice without her consent. The dispute highlights the legal gray area surrounding the use of human likenesses and voices in the rapidly evolving world of AI.
According to Johansson, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman approached her in September, asking her to be the voice of the company’s conversational AI system. Johansson declined the offer, but two days before OpenAI was set to demonstrate the technology, Altman contacted her again, asking her to reconsider. Before she could respond, however, OpenAI released a demo of its improved audio technology, featuring a voice called “Sky” that many argued bore an uncanny resemblance to Johansson’s character in the 2013 film “Her,” in which she performed the voice of a super-intelligent AI assistant.
“When I heard the released demo, 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 wrote in a statement. She added that Altman “even insinuated that the similarity was intentional, tweeting a single word ‘her’ — a reference to the film in which I voiced a chat system, Samantha, who forms an intimate relationship with a human.”
Scarlett’s Allegations and Outrage
OpenAI has since suspended the “Sky” voice, acknowledging that it was not intended to resemble Johansson’s. The company said it had conducted an extensive search and review of 400 voice actors before selecting the five voices it unveiled in September, including “Sky.” However, Johansson remains unconvinced, and she is threatening legal action against the AI company.
The incident highlights the limited legal protections available to actors and performers when it comes to the use of their likeness or voice by AI companies. Federal copyright law has not yet caught up with the rapid advancements in AI technology, and local laws vary widely across different states. A bipartisan group of senators did propose a bill last year aimed at preventing the use of AI to reproduce a musician’s voice or an actor’s likeness, but the legislation has yet to be enacted.
Johansson’s case is not the only legal challenge facing OpenAI. The company is also facing a wave of lawsuits from authors, including “Game of Thrones” writer George R.R. Martin, and news organizations, who allege that OpenAI has violated copyright law by using their content to train its AI models.
As the use of AI continues to expand, Johansson’s case underscores the need for greater transparency and appropriate legislation to protect the rights of actors, performers, and other creative professionals. “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,” Johansson said.
The Scarlett Johansson-OpenAI dispute highlights the growing tension between the rapid advancements in AI technology and the need to protect the rights and intellectual property of creative professionals. As AI systems become increasingly sophisticated in their ability to mimic human voices and likenesses, the legal framework has struggled to keep pace, leaving actors, musicians, and other artists vulnerable to potential exploitation.
OpenAI’s Response and Suspension
The case raises important questions about the ethical boundaries of AI development and the responsibility of companies like OpenAI to respect the rights and consent of the individuals whose voices and likenesses they seek to utilize. While AI has the potential to revolutionize various industries, including entertainment and media, it is crucial that this progress is balanced with a robust system of safeguards and regulations to prevent the misuse of human-derived assets.
Johansson’s threat of legal action underscores the urgency of this issue, and her call for “transparency” and “appropriate legislation” is a timely and necessary demand. As the use of AI continues to expand, policymakers and industry leaders must work together to establish clear guidelines and protections that ensure the rights of creative professionals are respected, while also allowing for the responsible and ethical development of AI technologies. The Johansson-OpenAI dispute serves as a wake-up call, highlighting the need for a comprehensive and forward-looking approach to addressing the complex challenges at the intersection of AI and intellectual property rights.
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