Scarlett Johansson Accuses OpenAI of Copying Her Voice for AI Assistant
Scarlett Johansson claims OpenAI used a voice eerily similar to hers for its "Sky" AI assistant after she explicitly declined CEO Sam Altman's licensing offer. The actor hires legal counsel as OpenAI pauses the controversial voice feature.
Scarlett Johansson accuses OpenAI CEO Sam Altman of using a voice that sounds strikingly similar to hers for the company's "Sky" AI assistant. She states that Altman approaches her in September and again just two days before the ChatGPT-4o launch, but she declines the offer for personal reasons. Following the release, Johansson notes that her friends, family, and the general public immediately recognize the uncanny resemblance to her voice.
OpenAI denies the allegations and insists that the voice actor behind Sky is a different professional actress using her own natural speaking voice. The company claims it casts the voice actor before making any outreach to Johansson. However, Altman adds fuel to the fire by tweeting the single word "her" on the day of the AI announcement, which Johansson interprets as an insinuation that the similarity is intentional.
Feeling shocked and angered by the situation, Johansson hires legal counsel to address the dispute. In response to the growing controversy, OpenAI pauses the use of Sky's voice in its products and apologizes for a lack of better communication. This legal standoff highlights the ongoing tensions between Hollywood talent and artificial intelligence companies over the use of personal likenesses.