May 21, 2024 Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson expressed shock and anger after a new OpenAI chatbot debuted with a voice eerily similar to hers. Johansson, known for her role as a voice-operated system in the 2013 film Her, had previously declined an offer to voice the chatbot. Despite this, when the chatbot, named “Sky,” was released, it bore a striking resemblance to Johansson’s voice from the film, prompting immediate comparisons by the public and media.

OpenAI claimed the voice was not an imitation, and was voiced by a different actress, but the similarity was noted by Johansson and others. OpenAI has since paused the use of the “Sky” voice and expressed regrets over the incident.

The incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding AI and deepfake technology, particularly around copyright and the ethical use of someone’s likeness without consent. This case adds to a series of legal challenges faced by OpenAI concerning the use of copyrighted material to train its AI models.