Does ChatGPT-4o’s voice Sky resemble that of actress Scarlett Johansson?

 

OpenAI has withdrawn the voice option for its ChatGPT-4o chatbot called "Sky" after people complained that it sounded too much like actress Scarlett Johansson's voice from the movie "Her".

The voice is called "Sky" and is one of five voices that users can choose to interact with.

In a blog post, OpenAI defended their casting decision for Sky. The company explained in great detail its process for choosing the individual voice options for its chatbot. However, the backlash forced it to pause Sky.

OpenAI said that the voice was not meant to be an imitation of Scarlett Johansson. However, the company said it belonged to a different actress.

Reacting to people’s complaints, the company decided to pause using the voice. OpenAI further said that it is working on new voice options that will better match the diverse interests and preferences of its users.

The artificial intelligence company clarified that it is paying voice actors high rates. It said that it is working with industry professionals to cast and direct voice talents.

The controversy highlights concerns about AI's impact on creative communities, with some voice actors worried about being replaced by AI voice generators. Reacting to these concerns, OpenAI said that it is trying to support the voice industry. However, the pause of the Sky voice shows that fans won't tolerate direct mimicry of famous stars' voices.

Meantime, some people raised their voices for the voice actor behind Sky, who can no longer make money from her work. These fans believe that OpenAI overreacted, causing harm to the voice actor behind Sky.

After the company’s decision, it is not clear if the voice will be changed or if it will be available again in the future.