Did OpenAI clone Scarlett Johansson’s voice despite her refusal for chatGPT4o?

OpenAI, the chat editor in “Her” where she played an artificial intelligence with her voice.

“Her”, it is precisely the content of this tweet in three letters which could cost OpenAI millions of dollars in court: a message dated May 13, signed Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, the publisher of catGPT. At the time of publication, the company is in the process of unveiling chatGPT4o, the new version capable of chatting with the user, thanks to a voice assistant called “Sky”. A voice which even Scarlett Johansson’s friends, she explained, believed to be the American actress.

So yes, it could be a coincidence. But “her”, tweeted by Sam Altman, is also his favorite film, as he himself admitted last September. And then, last detail: after hearing the famous “Sky”, the real Scarlett Johansson, shocked and angry, also revealed that she had declined an offer from Sam Altman, last September, to become the official voice of chatGPT. Hence the suspicions of intentional cloning, without consent or to be precise, despite the actress’s refusal.

What does OpenAI risk in court? A lot of money according to lawyers in Hollywood, even if there is no common federal legislation on the subject. However, in California, where OpenAI is headquartered, the law protects everyone’s name, image and voice against commercial or promotional use without their consent. And the concept goes relatively far.

In 1988, Bette Midler sued Ford for hiring one of her backing singers and asking him to sing “like with her”. Tom Waits, too, sued the manufacturer of Doritos appetizer biscuits for asking a singer to sing like him in an advertisement.

Two judgments which set precedent today, in the era of AI and voice cloning. A lot of money too, because Scarlett Johansson has a reputation for defending her rights: we saw her at the release of Black Widow facing Disney. As of Monday, she asked her lawyers to intervene.

As for Sam Altman, according to the boss of OpenAI, there was never any question that the GPT4o cat voice resembled that of Scarlett Johansson. The choice of the one who actually lent her voice would also have taken place, before contact was made with the actress of Her. Two arguments that are difficult to believe, and which put consent back at the center of the debate. The possible trial promises to be fascinating.