Scarlett Johansson Accuses OpenAI of Using Her Voice Without Permission
Altman said. He acknowledged the controversy and announced that OpenAI would pause the use of Sky's voice out of respect for Johansson, apologizing for the poor communication.
Scarlett Johansson has accused OpenAI of using a voice for their AI software that closely resembles hers without her permission. The controversy centers around OpenAI's new AI voice, named "Sky," which Johansson claims sounds eerily similar to her voice, leading to confusion among her friends and the public.
According to Johansson, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman approached her twice—first in September and then again just two days before the launch of ChatGPT-4O on May 13—requesting her voice for the project. Despite her refusal for personal reasons, Johansson noticed that the Sky voice sounded strikingly like hers. “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 said in a statement. She has since hired legal counsel to address the situation.
Altman has refuted the charges, stating that Sky's voice was never intended to resemble Johansson's and that the voice actor was cast before any outreach to Johansson. “The voice of Sky is not Scarlett Johansson’s, and it was never intended to resemble hers. We cast the voice actor behind Sky’s voice before any outreach to Ms. Johansson,” Altman said. He acknowledged the controversy and announced that OpenAI would pause the use of Sky's voice out of respect for Johansson, apologizing for the poor communication.
OpenAI reiterated in a blog post that Sky’s voice belongs to a different professional actress using her own natural speaking voice and not an imitation of Johansson. The company emphasized its respect for the privacy of its voice talents and did not disclose the names of the actors involved.
Johansson has written to Altman and OpenAI, seeking transparency in the process of creating Sky’s voice, especially in the context of rising concerns over deepfakes and the protection of personal likeness. “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,” her statement says. “I look forward to resolution in the form of transparency and the passage of appropriate legislation to help ensure that individual rights are protected.”
This incident is reminiscent of Johansson’s previous legal battle with Disney in 2021, where she settled a breach of contract lawsuit concerning her film "Black Widow." It highlights ongoing issues regarding the use of celebrities’ likenesses and voices in the age of advanced AI technology.
