The company unveiled a voice assistant, with very human behavior, which immediately made people think of the film Her. One of OpenAI's proposed female voices was removed, the company announced, because it sounded too similar to that of actress Scarlett Johansson.
Today, OpenAI seems to somewhat regret this resemblance. In a message published on (ex-Twitter) on May 20, 2024, the company explains that it is removing Sky, one of the voices of its voice assistant. “ We've heard questions about how we chose voices in ChatGPT, particularly Sky. We're working to pause Sky usage while we answer these questions ”, indicated the company.
OpenAI particularly insists on the fact that, despite appearances, it was not Scarlett Johansson who did the voice of Sky, but another person. To quell the rumors, the company has released plenty of details about the voice selection process — because, yes, they do come from real humans.
OpenAI wants you to stop believing Scarlett Johansson voiced its voice assistant
To find its voices, OpenAI… launched a casting call, reveals the company. “ Each of the five distinct voices you hear was carefully selected following an extensive five-month process involving professional actors, recruitment agencies, casting directors and consultants. Of the industry », Explains OpenAI in its press release.
The company had defined specific criteria, and the actors had to “ have a timeless, engaging voice that inspires confidence “, derived from ” various backgrounds ”, and know how to speak several languages. In one week, OpenAI explains that it received 400 applications from actors. They auditioned, including reading questions asked to ChatGPT.
After these steps, OpenAI even explains having discussed with the selected candidates about their “ vision of voice interactions between humans and AI “, as well as “ boundaries » technology and risks involved “. “ It was important to us that each stakeholder understood the scope of the project and our intentions before committing. », Explains OpenAI. Bonus, the company even indicates that “ each actor received compensation above the highest market rates”and that they will continue to be paid “ as long as their voices are used in our products. »
“ We believe that AI voices should not deliberately imitate a celebrity's distinctive voice. Sky's voice is not an imitation of Scarlett Johansson, but belongs to a different professional actress who uses her own natural voice “, also underlines the company. While waiting for Sky's voice to become available again, you can always console yourself by speaking with Breeze, Cove, Ember, or even Juniper.