Wednesday, May 22, 2024

Actors union backs Scarlett Johansson after claim of voice misuse by Sam Altman’s OpenAI

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has since clarified that the voice belongs to a different professional actress and has removed it from the company's products.



Pranav Dixit
Updated May 22, 2024
Scarlett Johansson

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has voiced its support for actress Scarlett Johansson following her concerns over the use of a voice in OpenAI’s new GPT-4o system. Johansson claimed the voice, belonging to a persona named "Sky", bore a striking resemblance to her own, despite her previous refusal to participate in the project.

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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has since clarified that the voice belongs to a different professional actress and has removed it from the company's products. However, the incident has ignited a larger conversation about the rights of actors in the age of increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence.

"We thank Ms. Johansson for speaking out on this issue of crucial importance to all SAG-AFTRA members," a spokesperson for the union stated. "We share in her concerns and fully support her right to have clarity and transparency regarding the voice used.”

SAG-AFTRA, which represents approximately 160,000 entertainment and media professionals worldwide, played a pivotal role in recent negotiations with Hollywood studios, securing better pay and increased protections for actors against the unauthorised use of their likenesses through AI.

This recent dispute underscores the growing concerns surrounding the use of AI in entertainment. As technology advances and computer-generated images and sounds become increasingly realistic, the line between human performance and AI replication continues to blur. This raises critical questions about ownership, consent, and compensation for artists.

SAG-AFTRA has affirmed its commitment to protecting its members' rights, stating that it is "strongly championing federal legislation that would protect their voices and likenesses." The union plans to continue engaging with OpenAI and other industry stakeholders to establish clear guidelines and safeguards for performers.

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