OpenAI has announced that it will remove one of the voices used by ChatGPT after it was compared to Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson.
Scarlett Johansson. PHOTO Shutterstock
OpenAI has announced that it will remove one of the voices used by ChatGPT after it was compared to Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson.
The similarity was noted by users of the chatbot's “Sky” option, which reads users' responses aloud. The chatbot's conversational and slightly flirtatious upgrade has drawn comparisons to the 2013 film Her, starring the actress, according to bbc.com
OpenAI stated that the voices available in ChatGPT's voice mode were “carefully selected through an extensive five-month process involving professional voice actors, talent agencies, casting directors and industry consultants.”
Her is set in the near future and features Joaquin Phoenix falling in love with his phone's operating system, which is voiced by actress Scarlett Johansson.
Director Spike Jonze stated at the time that the film “it's not about technology or software”, but rather about finding love and intimacy.
OpenAI said on Monday that the voice was not meant to be an “imitation” of the star.
“We believe that AI voices should not deliberately imitate a celebrity's distinctive voice”, reads a blog post.
Despite this, when OpenAI presented its new GPT-4o model on May 13, 2024, director Sam Altman referenced the name of the film on X.
During the demonstration of more human-like conversational skills, the chatbot said to an OpenAI staff member: “Wow, what an outfit you have!”.
He also said “don't go on, you're making me blush” when he was complimented.
Along with memes and posts about ChatGPT – which features GIFs of the film's lonely protagonist Theodore Twombly – there has also been criticism of the voice used.
