Topline
ChatGPT maker OpenAI has made a preliminary version of its voice assistant available to some paid subscribers Tuesday after the company delayed its initial rollout, citing safety concerns, following blowback over an earlier voice option actress Scarlett Johansson called “eerily similar” to hers.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman speaks during the OpenAI DevDay event in San Francisco, California.
Key Facts
Open AI released the “alpha” version of the voice assistant to a limited number of users, and says it plans to roll out the feature to all GPT-Plus users in the fall.
The company decided to delay the release of the voice assistant to July from an earlier date of late June, saying it needed time to reach “launch standard,” which came after it gave a demonstration of the assistant that was blasted for featuring a voice similar to Johansson’s.
“Sky,” the voice that sounded like Johansson’s and was one of five voice options that were available during a demo in May, is not included in the new version.
The voice drew much attention to its similarity with Johansson’s AI interface in the 2013 film “Her,” especially after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman cryptically tweeted “her” the day the ChatGPT-4o version and voice assistant were announced.
OpenAI later acknowledged the vocal similarities between Sky and Johansson, while insisting the voice belonged to “a different professional actress using her own natural speaking voice.”
Altman also apologized for the voice’s similarities after Johansson sent a letter to OpenAI saying she was “shocked” over the voice and “was forced to hire legal counsel” in response.
The AI firm also added some privacy features that would prevent the voice assistant from impersonating others’ voices and block certain requests to generate copyrighted materials.
Key Background:
OpenAI’s ChatGPT was first released in November 2022 and the company has since released updated versions of the product. The company first demoed the voice assistant feature at an event in May alongside a number of other GPT-4o capabilities, and showcased an ability to understand and respond to user speech prompts.
What We Don’t Know:
OpenAI is yet to reveal the voice behind Sky, saying it was important to protect the privacy of the company’s voice talents. The company claims that it worked with “industry-leading casting and directing professionals to narrow down over 400 submissions before selecting the 5 voices,” and plans to add more voice options in the future.
Forbes Valuation:
Altman has an estimated net worth of $1 billion. Altman’s fortune does not come from OpenAI, however, as has no equity in the company, and instead he owes his fortune and billionaire status to a series of valuable investments. This includes stakes in recently floated Reddit, fintech Stripe and nuclear fusion effort Helion. Altman founded social mapping company Loopt and served as partner and president at startup accelerator Y Combinator before starting OpenAI.