Scarlett Johansson’s Voice Hijacked by AI? Legal Battle Ensues!

Dr Mark van Rijmenam, CSP -

Is OpenAI crossing the line by mimicking celebrities without consent? Can Altman still be trusted?

Scarlett Johansson was "shocked, angered, and in disbelief" when she discovered OpenAI's ChatGPT 4o used a voice eerily similar to hers for its new system, "Sky." Despite declining their offer to use her voice, Johansson found herself battling the unauthorized mimicry. OpenAI insists a different actress was used, but the voice’s uncanny resemblance to Johansson's in the film Her led to public outcry and legal action.

Johansson met with OpenAI in September, where CEO Sam Altman pitched the idea of using her voice to bridge the gap between tech and creatives. She declined, yet weeks later, Sky's voice left her friends and the media unable to distinguish between her real voice and the AI-generated one. Altman's cryptic "Her" tweet only fueled suspicions of intentional mimicry.

As the legal dust settles, it begs the question: Can Sam Altman be trusted?

Read the full article on RollingStone.

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