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OpenAI: Innovation at the Expense of Ethics?

In a battle of ethics, Scarlett Johansson holds her own against Sam Altman.

May 24, 2024

Ever since OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, was fired and re-hired as the leader of the company, things just haven’t been the same.

This week’s developments are a prime example.

In a whirlwind week for OpenAI, the tech giant pursued aggressive AI advancements, which pushed ethical boundaries and stirred controversy —particularly with celebrity Scarlett Johansson.

This should make everyone’s “this could be really bad” alarms go off, especially as OpenAI is poised to serve as the artificial intelligence backbone of much of the tech ecosystem, including large-scale partnerships with both Microsoft and Apple.

Unsurprisingly, its tactics and their implications have sparked a heated debate.

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The Big Picture:

This past week at OpenAI, a dramatic clash unfolded between the company's ambitious AI innovations and ethical boundaries, exemplified by the controversy involving actress Scarlett Johansson.

As CEO Sam Altman pushed forward with a voice clone eerily similar to Johansson’s — against her wishes — the company’s actions underscored a broader tension between technological expansion and the respect for individual rights.

This incident not only highlights the personal stakes of those involved but also casts a spotlight on the potential ethical pitfalls in the path of AI development.

Why It Matters:

The standoff with Johansson represents the latest development in the saga of “who owns the source content?” in training AI LLMs (Large Language Models).

And it raises profound questions about the rights of creatives in the age of AI and the responsibilities of tech companies to honor those rights.

As AI technology becomes increasingly capable of imitating human attributes, the balance between innovation and ethical integrity is being tested. OpenAI’s handling of this situation could set significant precedents for how artists’ likenesses are used and protected in the future.

By the Numbers:

1 Year: Duration of negotiations between OpenAI CEO and Scarlett Johansson over using her voice for ChatGPT.

22%: Increase in mobile app revenue following the controversial voice demo.

20%: Computing power OpenAI initially dedicated to its superalignment team for AI safety, which it formed just last year.

3 Million: Followers of Sam Altman on Twitter, where he hinted at the voice resemblance.

Digging Deeper:

Behind the scenes, Johansson started asking questions. She hired attorneys, “who wrote two letters to Mr. Altman and OpenAI, setting out what they had done and asking them to detail the exact process by which they created the ‘Sky’ voice,” she wrote.

And that got a response. On Sunday night, OpenAI announced it would pull the Sky voice from ChatGPT. It also put up a blog post outlining the process they followed for producing the five voices it eventually selected for ChatGPT, Sky included.

But the long-and-short of it is: Altman asked to license her voice to actualize his fantasy of a real-life Her; she declined; and the company proceeded anyway with a voice as similar to hers as it could get.

“I look forward to resolution in the form of transparency and the passage of appropriate legislation to help ensure that individual rights are protected,” Johansson said.

At least someone’s standing up to these guys.

But there are still some things to consider:

  • Ethical Concerns: The unveiling of 'Sky', despite Johansson's explicit refusal, raises serious ethical questions.

  • Company Priorities: The dissolution of the superalignment team suggests a shift towards product development over safety.

  • Legal and Public Backlash: Johansson’s actions, including hiring attorneys and sending letters to OpenAI, demand accountability and transparency.

What’s Next:

The tech community and regulatory bodies will be closely watching OpenAI’s next moves, especially how it addresses the backlash and navigates future ethical challenges.

The broader implications for AI ethics, particularly in terms of personal identity and consent, are now at the forefront of discussions within the tech industry. As they should be — and should have been for a long time.

The Bottom Line:

The controversy surrounding OpenAI and Scarlett Johansson over voice cloning technology highlights a critical juncture for AI ethics. As OpenAI strives to push the boundaries of what AI can achieve, it also faces a growing need for stringent ethical standards and respect for personal rights.

Will this incident lead to a more cautious approach in AI development, or will the drive for innovation continue to overshadow ethical considerations?

How OpenAI responds may well shape the ethical landscape of AI technology moving forward. They’d best consider carefully what they do next, because the whole world is watching now.

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