OpenAI Suspends ChatGPT Sky Voice Following Scarlett Johansson 'Her' Comparisons

OpenAI has decided to suspend its ChatGPT Sky voice after multiple users noted its resemblance to Scarlett Johansson's voice in the 2013 film "Her."

OpenAI Addresses Voice Similarity Concerns

OpenAI says it will pause using one of its ChatGPT voices after some users said it sounded like Scarlett Johansson, who notably dubbed a fictional, and at the time futuristic, AI assistant in the 2013 film "Her."

In September, OpenAI introduced voice functionalities for ChatGPT, encompassing five distinct personalities. These functionalities enabled users to participate in reciprocal dialogue with the artificial intelligence assistant.

ChatGPT's Voice Mode Available for All Users

Prior to November, "Voice Mode" was exclusive to the mobile application's paid subscribers. However, OpenAI announced that the function would be accessible to all users.

OpenAI stated on Monday via the social media platform X that it is "working to pause" Sky, one of five voices from which ChatGPT users may select.

OpenAI, committed to user privacy, quickly addressed the internet's speculation about Johansson in a blog post detailing the voice selection process for ChatGPT. The company also reiterated its stance on privacy, stating that it could not disclose the names of its voice actors.

Public Reaction

Tom's Guide shares that while the Sky Voice and a version of ChatGPT Voice have been around for a while, it became more apparent that they were similar to Scarlett Johansson after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and many others pointed out the similarity.

In "Her," Scarlett Johansson plays Samantha, an advanced AI operating system who falls in love with Joaquin Phoenix's character, a lonely writer.

Photo: JCS/Wikimedia Commons(CC BY 4.0 DEED)