Scarlett Johansson's Feud With OpenAI 'Puts A Human Face' On Hollywood's AI Fears

The ongoing dispute between Scarlett Johansson and OpenAI has rekindled Hollywood’s apprehension about the potential threat of AI.

What Happened: The feud was sparked by OpenAI’s use of a voice similar to Johansson’s in the movie “Her” without her consent. This has led to concerns about the ethical use of AI in the entertainment industry, Reuters reported.

Microsoft Corp.-backed MSFT OpenAI, a company known for its advanced AI technology, has been in discussions with Hollywood studios about potential collaborations. However, Johansson’s accusations have raised concerns about the company’s ethical practices.

Despite OpenAI’s statements that the voice in question was not intended to resemble Johansson’s, the dispute has sparked a broader conversation about the use of AI in the entertainment industry.

"This seemed to strike a real chord. It kind of puts a human face on it. There's a well-known tech company that did something to a person we know," said one industry executive told Reuters.

Subscribe to the Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.

Another executive called OpenAI's actions "hubris," adding that it "doesn’t set up a respectful collaboration between content creators and tech giants."

Even before this conflict, industry insiders had expressed concerns about OpenAI’s models being trained on copyrighted works, which the company deemed as fair use.

See Also: Jeff Bezos Was One Of Google’s Early Investors: Here’s How Much His $250K Investment Would Be Worth Today

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

Why It Matters: This dispute comes amid a broader discussion about the use of AI in the entertainment industry. In 2023, Hollywood expressed interest in using AI replicas of actors for eternity, sparking a debate about the ethical and legal implications of such technology.

Even Elon Musk criticized OpenAI for the alleged mimicry of Johansson’s voice, calling it “obviously a ripoff.” This dispute has now become a major concern for Hollywood, raising questions about the ethical use of AI in the industry.

Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by following this link.

Read Next: OpenAI Just Dropped GPT-4o And These 10 Examples Show It Could Completely Change AI Chatbot Game

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Photo: Shutterstock