Question for GPT-4o: Please read the following news articles about the Scarlett Johansson situation. What is your view as to the role the AI makers have played and what should they have done differently? Would you agree that the following would be an excellent prompt for the AI makers: "We are planning on doing the following. Do you think this is a bad idea?"

ChatGPT-4o’s answer:
Analysis of AI Makers' Role in the Scarlett Johansson Situation

Role of AI Makers:

OpenAI has played a significant role in the controversy surrounding the Scarlett Johansson-like voice used in its ChatGPT 4.0 model. The company introduced a new voice, named "Sky," which users and Johansson herself noted bore a striking resemblance to the actress's voice from the film "Her." This resemblance sparked outrage and legal concerns from Johansson, who had previously declined an offer from OpenAI to voice the system.

Key points about OpenAI's role:

1. Voice Selection Process: OpenAI conducted an extensive process involving professional voice actors to select the voices for its ChatGPT model. The company maintains that the voice of Sky was not intended to mimic Johansson's and was chosen from over 400 submissions.

2. Initial Outreach to Johansson: OpenAI reached out to Johansson to offer her the role of voicing their AI, which she declined. Despite this, the resulting voice of Sky still ended up sounding similar to hers.

3. Response to Concerns: Upon realizing the controversy, OpenAI decided to pull the Sky voice from their product. They emphasized that the resemblance was unintentional and that the voice belonged to a different professional actress.

4. Communication and Transparency: OpenAI has acknowledged the need for better communication and has expressed regret for not addressing the issue proactively.

What Should They Have Done Differently:

1. Proactive Communication: OpenAI should have been more proactive in communicating with Johansson and addressing potential concerns before launching the new voices. Given Johansson's prior refusal and her known role in "Her," extra caution should have been taken.

2. Detailed Analysis and Testing: OpenAI could have conducted more rigorous testing to ensure that the new voices did not closely resemble any well-known voices, especially those of celebrities who have voiced AI characters.

3. Transparency with Voice Actors: While protecting the privacy of voice actors is important, more transparency about the process and the actors involved might have helped alleviate some concerns.

4. Pre-emptive Legal and Ethical Review: Engaging in a thorough legal and ethical review before the release of such features could have helped identify potential issues related to likeness and imitation.

5. Public Relations Management: A better-managed PR strategy could have mitigated the backlash. OpenAI should have been prepared to address the issue publicly and immediately upon launch.

Evaluation of the Prompt:

The prompt, "We are planning on doing the following. Do you think this is a bad idea?" would be an excellent approach for AI makers in the following ways:

1. Encourages Feedback: It opens the door for feedback from various stakeholders, including legal teams, PR professionals, and potentially the public, ensuring that all perspectives are considered.

2. Prevents Oversights: By seeking opinions on planned actions, companies can identify potential pitfalls or issues that may not have been initially apparent.

3. Promotes Collaboration: This approach fosters a collaborative environment where decisions are made with input from a broader group, enhancing the quality and acceptability of the outcomes.

In conclusion, while OpenAI did take steps to address the issue once it arose, their initial handling of the situation could have been more thorough and transparent. The prompt suggested would likely have helped avoid the controversy by encouraging earlier and more comprehensive feedback.

Statement from Scarlett Johansson: