Scarlett Johansson expressed shock and anger after OpenAI debuted a chatbot with a voice similar to hers, reminiscent of her role in the 2013 film “Her.” Despite Johansson rejecting an offer to voice the chatbot, OpenAI released the model, prompting accusations of deliberate imitation from Johansson.
Johansson detailed her interactions with OpenAI founder Sam Altman, who initially approached her about voicing the chatbot but later persisted, even after her refusal. She raised concerns about the use of her likeness and the need for clarity in an era of deepfakes and identity protection.
OpenAI denied intentionally mimicking Johansson’s voice and stated that they had cast a voice actor for the chatbot before reaching out to Johansson. They apologized to her and announced a pause in using the voice while addressing questions about its selection process.
This incident comes amid broader discussions about AI’s impact on the entertainment industry, with actors recently striking deals to protect their likeness and voice rights. OpenAI’s actions have sparked concerns about consent, copyright infringement, and the company’s use of copyrighted materials for training its AI models.
