Scarlett Johansson's Accusation: OpenAI Applies Her Voice without Authorization

Scarlett Johansson's Accusation-OpenAI Applies Her Voice without Authorization cover

The development of artificial intelligence has brought content to many people, such as simplifying work processes and minimizing mechanical work tasks. Of course, there are also many controversies in the development of the field of artificial intelligence, such as infringement of personal privacy rights, fabrication of false information, etc.

This article takes an in-depth look at the incident between the famous actress Scarlett Johansson and the company OpenAI, as well as a detailed account of the development of artificial intelligence.

Table of Contents

What happened to Scarlett Johansson?

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Recently, OpenAI launched ChatGPT4o and showed its new features to users. What’s terrible is that Scarlett Johansson discovered that the voice of OpenAI’s latest chatbot Sky is very similar to her own voice. Not only herself, but also her friends, family, and even fans and ordinary listeners who follow her noticed Got to this point. It was for this reason that Johnson chose to issue a public statement. In addition to expressing her inner shock and disbelief at the time, this statement also expressed her anger at OpenAI’s unauthorized use of her voice and stated that it would take measures. Stand up for your rights.  This unexpected incident has triggered widespread speculation and debate about the ethical use of artificial intelligence technology, especially regarding the ability of AI voice technology to copy the voices of others without authorization.

Scarlett Johansson’s previous interaction with OpenAI

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In September last year, Scarlett Johansson had a business contact with Sam Altman, the then CEO of OpenAI, and OpenAI wanted her to voice their artificial intelligence assistant Sky. But Johnson declined the offer for personal reasons.  However, after OpenAI released Sky’s voice, the controversy inevitably broke out because she had rejected OpenAI’s invitation to cooperate before, but Sky’s voice was surprisingly similar to her own, which forced her to There were doubts about whether OpenAI used her voice without authorization. At the same time, after the release of her statement, many people began to question the ethical boundaries and transparency of OpenAI’s practices in developing artificial intelligence models.

Scarlett Johansson's reaction to OpenAI applies her voice

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In order to express her attitude and the unauthorized use of a voice similar to her own by OpenAI, Scarlett Johansson decisively took a series of legal actions to defend her rights and reputation. 

  • Hire legal counsel: For an effective approach, Johnson hired a team of legal experts to thoroughly investigate all situations.
  • Send formal letter: Her legal team sent a formal legal letter to the company OpenAI, asking for a detailed explanation of the creation process of Sky Voice, seeking transparency and accountability.
  • Public condemnation: Johnson publicly condemned the unauthorized use of her voice, raising concerns about the use of artificial intelligence technology and the protection of individual rights.
  • Advocate for legislation: She called for clearer legislation to protect more people from becoming the next affected by artificial intelligence, and emphasized that the era of artificial intelligence requires a strong legal framework to limit and maintain it.

OpenAI’s response to this incident

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In response to Scarlett Johansson’s accusations, OpenAI moved quickly to respond to her statement. OpenAI issued a public statement clarifying that the voice of chatbot Sky was not Johnson’s and said they hired a different professional actress. OpenAI emphasized that the incident was purely coincidental and was not a deliberate attempt to imitate Johnson’s voice.  In order to alleviate the situation, OpenAI has suspended the use of Sky’s voice in its products and sincerely apologized for the trouble this issue has caused Johansson.  CEO Sam Altman reiterated that the company negotiated with multiple voice actors when selecting roles, but there were certain communication problems during the process. We will always work to improve communication and transparency and take into account relevant ethical issues to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

What are the wider concerns behind this controversy?

The incident between Scarlett Johansson and OpenAI exposed the multifaceted problems with the use of human artificial intelligence technology.

The ethical boundaries of artificial intelligence development

During the development process of artificial intelligence functions, it is necessary to clearly consider whether the function complies with social ethics.  Using other people’s voices, likenesses, etc. without consent can be considered a violation of personal rights.

Trust in artificial intelligence technology

Due to the influence and appeal of celebrities on society, this incident will reduce many public’s trustworthiness in AI technology and even plant a seed of doubt, causing people to increase their resistance to artificial intelligence.

Can AI technology work with celebrities in the future?

The cooperation between artificial intelligence technology and celebrities is both an opportunity and a challenge. A successful partnership makes both parties successful and vice versa, so it’s important to have clear guidelines and fixed standards.

  • Transparent Agreement: Create a clear contract that outlines the scope and circumstances of use of the celebrity’s likeness.
  • Obtain consent: Explicit permission must be obtained from the celebrity before using their voice or image in an AI application.
  • Ethical standards: Both celebrities and AI tool development companies should adhere to ethical standards and practices.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Both parties should comply with the legal framework to protect individual rights and intellectual property rights.

Conclusion

The controversy that unfolded between Scarlett Johansson and OpenAI is a prime example of the development and ethical considerations surrounding artificial intelligence technology.  It emphasizes that as the integration of artificial intelligence into society increases, the transparency of the AI technology development process, standardized usage standards, and strong legal protection are all very important.  Ensure that technological progress does not come at the expense of personal freedoms and ethical standards.

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