OpenAI has announced plans to remove one of the voices used by ChatGPT after users likened it to Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson.
The similarity was noticed in the chatbot’s “Sky” voice option, which reads responses aloud to users, during the presentation of features for its new model.
The conversational upgrade to its AI chatbot drew comparisons to the 2013 film Her, starring the actress.
OpenAI stated that the voices offered in ChatGPT’s voice mode were meticulously chosen through a comprehensive process lasting five months.
This process involved collaboration with professional voice actors, talent agencies, casting directors, and industry advisors.
The film Her, set in the near-future, features Joaquin Phoenix falling in love with his phone’s operating system, voiced by Scarlett Johansson.
Director Spike Jonze emphasized that the film is not solely about technology or software, but rather about the quest for love and intimacy.
Addressing the comparisons, OpenAI clarified on Monday that the voice is not meant to be an “imitation” of the star.
“We believe that AI voices should not deliberately mimic a celebrity’s distinctive voice,” it said in a blog post.
it is “working to pause” the voice while it addresses questions about how it was chosen in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
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Despite this, when OpenAI showed off its new model GPT-4o on 13 May, boss Sam Altman referenced the name of the film on X.
During the demonstration of its more human-like conversational abilities, the chatbot told an OpenAI staff member: “Wow, that’s quite the outfit you’ve got on”.
It also said “stop it, you’re making me blush” when complimented.
But amid memes and posts about ChatGPT – featuring gifs of the film’s lonely protagonist Theodore Twombly – were also critical takes on the voice.
“This is giving such “female character as written by men” vibes,” said one person on X.
“Why is she so obsequious and flirty?”
OpenAI’s blog post detailed that the five voices integrated into its chatbot were sourced from collaborative efforts with voice actors.
The desired traits of being multilingual and possessing an “approachable” or “charismatic” tone, evoking a timeless quality, were focal points in crafting these personalities.
Before finalizing the voices, OpenAI individually engaged with selected actors, discussing the company’s vision for human-AI interactions and the technology’s capabilities, limitations, and risks.
While the advanced voice features showcased at the spring update event have not yet been implemented for ChatGPT users, OpenAI plans to offer them to subscribers seeking faster responses and priority access to new features in the forthcoming weeks.