OpenAI Scarlett Johansson Voice: Celebrity Likeness Used Without Authorization

Scarlett Johansson publicly accused OpenAI of creating a ChatGPT voice called Sky that was deliberately designed to mimic her voice after she declined CEO Sam Altman's request to voice the AI assistant. Johansson stated she was "shocked, angered, and in disbelief" upon hearing the Sky voice, which closely resembled her vocal characteristics. The incident occurred shortly after Altman posted a single-word tweet, "her," referencing the 2013 film in which Johansson voiced an AI assistant. Johansson hired legal counsel and demanded OpenAI cease using the voice. OpenAI paused the Sky voice but denied it was intended to resemble Johansson, claiming it was voiced by a different actress. The controversy raised broader concerns about AI voice cloning, celebrity likeness rights, and the ability of AI companies to create synthetic voices that closely mimic real individuals without their consent. Multiple state legislatures cited the incident when introducing voice and likeness protection legislation.

The ramifications of this incident extend beyond the immediate data exposure. Privacy regulators in multiple jurisdictions have opened investigations, and affected individuals are organizing collective action to demand accountability and meaningful remediation. The case highlights systemic weaknesses in how organizations handle personal data and the gap between corporate privacy promises and operational reality.

For impacted individuals, immediate action is critical. Filing a data subject access request forces the company to disclose exactly what data they hold about you, providing the foundation for deletion requests, regulatory complaints, and potential legal action. Below, we outline the specific data types at risk and the concrete steps you can take to protect yourself.