OpenAI is eradicating one of many voices utilized by ChatGPT. Customers discovered that it sounded just like Scarlett Johansson, the corporate introduced on Monday, and Johansson herself launched a press release saying she employed authorized council to inquire in regards to the Sky voice and get actual particulars about the way it was developed. Sky is now being paused after OpenAI used it when demoing its new GPT-4o mannequin final week.
“We imagine that AI voices shouldn’t intentionally mimic a celeb’s distinctive voice—Sky’s voice just isn’t an imitation of Scarlett Johansson however belongs to a unique skilled actress utilizing her personal pure talking voice,” the corporate wrote in a weblog put up. “To guard their privateness, we can not share the names of our voice abilities.”
A video of the demo made the rounds on social media final week as customers discovered the voice to be just like Johansson’s. Some mocked the voice for being overly flirtatious, whereas others likened it to a male fantasy.
The flirty voice has drawn comparisons to the 2013 movie “Her,” wherein Johansson voices a sultry digital assistant. The movie’s foremost character, performed by Joaquin Phoenix, finally ends up falling in love with the digital assistant.
Though the corporate hasn’t in contrast Sky’s voice to Johansson’s, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman tweeted the phrase “Her” following the corporate’s occasion.
TechCrunch confirmed that Johansson launched a press release in a while Monday saying that OpenAI approached her in September about supplying the voice, which was first reported by NPR correspondent Bobby Allyn. Within the assertion, she mentioned that she declined “after a lot consideration and for private causes” and was “shocked” when she heard the launched demo.
The assertion additionally says that she was “compelled to rent authorized counsel” and that the corporate “reluctantly agreed” to vary the Sky voice.
OpenAI’s demo final week aimed to showcase the chatbot’s enhanced conversational talents, however went viral after the sultry voice giggled at virtually all the pieces an OpenAI worker was saying. At one level, the chatbot advised the worker: “Wow, that’s fairly the outfit you’ve bought on.” At one other level, the chatbot mentioned “Cease it, you’re making me blush” after receiving a praise.
In its weblog put up, OpenAI says it desires its chatbots’ voices to sound “approachable” and to “encourage belief.” It additionally desires them to have a “heat, partaking, confidence-inspiring, charismatic voice.”
Going ahead, OpenAI says it plans to “introduce extra voices in ChatGPT to higher match the various pursuits and preferences of customers.”
Johansson’s assertion in full:
“Final September, I acquired a proposal from Sam Altman, who needed to rent me to voice the present ChatGPT 4.0 system. He advised me that he felt that by my voicing the system, I may bridge the hole between tech firms and creatives and assist shoppers to really feel comfy with the seismic shift regarding people and AI. He mentioned he felt that my voice can be comforting to individuals.
After a lot consideration and for private causes, I declined the supply. 9 months later, my associates, household and most of the people all famous how a lot the latest system named “Sky” gave the impression of me.
Once I heard the launched demo, I used to be shocked, angered and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so eerily just like mine that my closest associates and information retailers couldn’t inform the distinction. Mr. Altman even insinuated that the similarity was intentional, tweeting a single phrase “her” – a reference to the movie wherein I voiced a chat system, Samantha, who types an intimate relationship with a human.
Two days earlier than the ChatGPT 4.0 demo was launched, Mr. Altman contacted my agent, asking me to rethink. Earlier than we may join, the system was on the market.
Because of their actions, I used to be compelled to rent authorized counsel, who wrote two letters to Mr. Altman and OpenAI, setting out what that they had completed and asking them to element the precise course of by which they created the “Sky” voice. Consequently, OpenAI reluctantly agreed to take down the “Sky” voice.
In a time after we are all grappling with deepfakes and the safety of our personal likeness, our personal work, our personal identities, I imagine these are questions that deserve absolute readability. I sit up for decision within the type of transparency and the passage of acceptable laws to assist be certain that particular person rights are protected.”
OpenAI shared the next assertion from Altman: “The voice of Sky just isn’t Scarlett Johansson’s, and it was by no means supposed to resemble hers. We solid the voice actor behind Sky’s voice earlier than any outreach to Ms. Johansson. Out of respect for Ms. Johansson, we now have paused utilizing Sky’s voice in our merchandise. We’re sorry to Ms. Johansson that we didn’t talk higher.”
Replace: This story initially revealed at 8 a.m. PT Monday and was up to date to incorporate Johansson’s and Altman’s statements.
