LONDON: In response to public outcry, OpenAI announced on Monday that it is suspending the use of one of its latest ChatGPT 4o voices due to its resemblance to the voice of actor Scarlett Johansson.
The controversial voice, named Sky, drew attention from users for its uncanny similarity to Johansson’s voice, particularly her portrayal of an emotive AI in the 2013 film “Her,” as reported by The Verge.
Acknowledging the concerns raised by users, OpenAI stated that it would be “pausing” the use of the Sky voice while they address the issue.
“We have heard questions about how we chose the voices in ChatGPT, especially Sky,” OpenAI said in a statement. “We are working to pause the use of Sky while we address them.”
Despite the resemblance, OpenAI emphasized that the Sky voice is not an imitation of Scarlett Johansson but belongs to a different professional actress using her own natural speaking voice. The company clarified that it conducted an extensive casting process to select the voices for its AI model.
However, OpenAI declined to disclose the identity of the actress behind the Sky voice, citing privacy concerns.
The controversy arose shortly after OpenAI unveiled its new AI model, capable of realistic voice conversation and interaction across text and image. The CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, notably referenced the film “Her” in a post on X following the demo, further fueling speculation about the resemblance between the Sky voice and Scarlett Johansson’s portrayal of an AI assistant in the movie.
