Final week OpenAI launched a brand new conversational interface ChatGPT With expressive, artificial voice bears a placing resemblance to the substitute intelligence assistant performed by Scarlett Johansson within the sci-fi movie. Her-only for abruptly flip off new voice over the weekend.
Johansson issued an announcement Monday saying she was compelled to overturn the choice after her attorneys demanded OpenAI clarify how the brand new voice was created.
Johansson assertion, relayed to WIRED by her publicist, claims that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman requested her final September to supply a brand new voice for ChatGPT, however she refused. She describes her shock final week when the corporate confirmed off a brand new voice for ChatGPT that also seemed like her.
“After I heard the demo model of the discharge, I used to be shocked, offended and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice that was so just like mine that my closest mates and information retailers wouldn’t have the ability to inform the distinction,” the assertion stated. . It notes that Altman appeared to encourage the world to affiliate the demo with Johansson’s efficiency, tweeting: “her“, concerning the movie, Might 13.
Johansson stated in an announcement that Altman contacted her agent two days earlier than final week’s demonstration and requested her to rethink her resolution to not work with OpenAI. After viewing the demo, she stated, she employed authorized counsel to write down to OpenAI with particulars about how the corporate acquired a brand new voice.
The assertion claims this led to OpenAI’s announcement on Sunday at publish on X that the corporate had determined to “droop the usage of Sky”, the corporate’s title for the artificial voice. The corporate additionally printed Weblog Publish description of the voice creation course of. “Sky’s voice will not be an imitation of Scarlett Johansson, however is that of one other skilled actress utilizing her personal pure voice,” the assertion stated.
Sky is one in all a number of artificial voices that OpenAI offered to ChatGPT final September, however eventually week’s occasion it demonstrated a way more sensible intonation with emotional cues. The demo confirmed a model of ChatGPT based mostly on a brand new synthetic intelligence mannequin referred to as GPT-4o, which appeared to flirt with an OpenAI engineer, which reminded many viewers of Johansson’s efficiency in Her.
“Skye’s voice will not be Scarlett Johansson’s and was by no means supposed to resemble her voice,” Sam Altman stated in an announcement offered by OpenAI. He claimed that Skye’s voice actor was employed earlier than the corporate contacted Jóhannsson. “Out of respect for Ms Johansson, we have now suspended the usage of the Sky voice in our merchandise. We really feel sorry for Ms. Johansson that we did not talk higher.”
The battle with Johansson compounds OpenAI’s current battles with artists, writers and different artistic individuals. The corporate is already defending variety of lawsuits alleging that it improperly used copyrighted content material to coach its algorithms, together with lawsuits from The New York Occasions and authors together with George R.R. Martin.
Generative AI has made it a lot simpler to create sensible artificial voices, creating new alternatives and threats. In January, voters in New Hampshire have been bombarded with robocalls involving faux voicemail from Joe Biden. In March, OpenAI stated it had developed know-how that would clone somebody’s voice from a 15-second clip, however the corporate stated it might not disclose the know-how due to how it may be misused.
Up to date Might 20, 2024, 9:00 pm ET: This text has been up to date with feedback from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.