Scarlett Johansson ‘Angered and in Disbelief’ Over OpenAI’s GPT-4o Voice

Scarlett Johansson is deeply distressed by the striking resemblance of the voice used in OpenAI’s app to her own. This isn't Johansson's first clash with AI; in 2018, she voiced concerns over the rampant use of her likeness in deepfakes, criticizing the internet's lack of regulations. Johansson's current issue arose after OpenAI's live demo for GPT-4o, which showcased a voice nearly indistinguishable from hers. Despite OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's previous offer to Johansson to voice the system—an offer she declined—Sky's voice still closely mimicked hers, much to her dismay. Johansson expressed her shock and anger at this similarity, while Altman countered that the resemblance was unintentional and that the voice actor for Sky was chosen independently of their approach to Johansson. In response to the controversy, OpenAI has temporarily halted the use of Sky's voice.