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The OpenAI logo is seen on a mobile phone in front of a computer screen displaying output from ChatGPT, March 21, 2023, in Boston. OpenAI has introduced a new artificial intelligence model. It says it works faster than previous versions and can reason across text, audio and video in real time. Michael Dwyer, AP Photo  

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Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17168616092561715649780721AP24134775174210.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The OpenAI logo is seen on a mobile phone in front of a computer screen displaying output from ChatGPT, March 21, 2023, in Boston. OpenAI has introduced a new artificial intelligence model. It says it works faster than previous versions and can reason across text, audio and video in real time. <em>Michael Dwyer, AP Photo  </em></span></span></span></div><p>PARIS, France — OpenAI was forced to apologize to actor Scarlett Johansson last week for using her voice — or something very similar — on its latest chatbot, throwing the spotlight on to voice-cloning tech.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/5/21/scarlett-johansson-says-a-chatgpt-voice-is-eerily-similar-to-hers-and-openai-is-halting-its-use-946">• Scarlett Johansson says a ChatGPT voice is &#x27;eerily similar&#x27; to hers and OpenAI is halting its use</a></div><p>Although OpenAI denied the voice they used was Johansson&#x27;s, their case was not helped by CEO Sam Altman flagging the new model with a one-word message on social media -- &quot;Her&quot;.</p><p>Johansson voiced an AI character in the film &quot;Her&quot;, which Altman has previously said is his favorite film about the technology.</p><p>Right from the start, AI voice cloning has proved problematic.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/2024/5/14/openai-gives-chatgpt-new-powers-to-see-hear-920">• OpenAI gives ChatGPT new powers to see, hear</a></div><p>Last year, British firm Elevenlabs went viral for all the wrong reasons when it released its voice-cloning software.</p><p>Internet pranksters immediately began pushing out deepfaked celebrities — Harry Potter star Emma Watson was shown reading Hitler&#x27;s Mein Kampf.</p><p>Law enforcement warned that AI clones could be used to extort money from loved ones over the phone.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/06/12/23/can-you-trust-your-ears-ai-voice-scams-rattle-us">• Can you trust your ears? AI voice scams rattle US</a></div><p>The technology has developed rapidly in the past year becoming far more realistic and nuanced.</p><p>Danish entrepreneur Victor Riparbelli, CEO of British AI firm Synthesia, told AFP it was largely down to a program called Tortoise that was released two years ago.</p><p>The program&#x27;s developers threw thousands of hours of voice data into their model in an unstructured way and discovered it not only learnt what to say but how to say it.</p><p>&quot;That was a pretty big paradigm shift,&quot; Riparbelli said on the sidelines of last week&#x27;s VivaTech conference in Paris.</p><p>Tortoise was an open source program and Elevenlabs was the first to go to market using it.</p><p>OpenAI uses similar systems though they do not release any details.</p><div><strong>&#x27;NOT VERY GOOD&#x27;</strong></div><p>Much of the controversy around voice cloning has focused on concerns over people misusing the software.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/06/07/23/stop-putting-my-voice-in-these-game-voice-actors-sound-alarm-on-ai">• &#x27;Stop putting my voice in these&#x27;: Game voice actors sound alarm on AI</a></div><p>But the claim against OpenAI is unusual because it is the company itself accused of playing fast and loose.</p><p>&quot;It was very unfortunate that OpenAI did that — really not very good,&quot; Katya Laine, CEO of TALKR.ai, told AFP at VivaTech.</p><p>&quot;If they actually cloned her voice without her knowing then I think that&#x27;s very very bad,&quot; said Riparbelli.</p><p>The two entrepreneurs are among hundreds harnessing AI voice programs for uses that they argue will make companies more efficient.</p><p>Laine&#x27;s firm provides virtual voice assistants — essentially AI customer service agents.</p><p>She said her firm&#x27;s system could now resolve 25 to 30 percent of calls without any human involvement.</p><p>Synthesia specializes in video avatars, which Riparbelli said allowed any office worker to turn text or slides into a video performed by a realistic AI.</p><p>Both Riparbelli and Laine allow their clients to use their own avatars, off-the-shelf products or those supplied by the likes of OpenAI and Elevenlabs.</p><p>Riparbelli said Synthesia used actors whose likenesses and voices were licensed for two years with an option to renew after the initial period.</p><p>The problems arise if actors&#x27; voices are used without their consent.</p><div><strong>&#x27;ODD PRECEDENT&#x27;</strong></div><p>The fiasco overshadowed a developer conference in Paris last week when OpenAI was showing off a suite of new tools.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/2024/5/22/openai-says-ai-is-safe-enough-as-scandals-raise-concerns-1053">• OpenAI says AI is &#x27;safe enough&#x27; as scandals raise concerns</a></div><p>In front of a big screen in an auditorium, Romain Huet, OpenAI&#x27;s Head of Developer Experience, breezily chatted into his phone.</p><p>Seconds later, his short voice sample had been processed and could be heard commentating over a generated video — in five languages.</p><p>The demonstration showed how quickly the field is moving, but the headlines had already been written.</p><p>The Washington Post asked in a newsletter &quot;How dumb is OpenAI?&quot;, other commentators were suggesting wunderkind Altman was nothing more than a huckster.</p><p>Nonetheless, Riparbelli was open to OpenAI&#x27;s argument that they had used another actor who just sounded liked Johansson.</p><p>&quot;If it&#x27;s not her but someone who sounds a lot like her... where do you draw that line,&quot; Riparbelli asked.</p><p>&quot;If they’re not allowed to use someone who sounds a lot like her, then it sets a very odd precedent.&quot;</p><div><strong>— By Joseph Boyle, Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qVO3bwXFjwI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Law enforcement warned that AI clones could be used to extort money from loved ones over the phone.</p>

Law enforcement warned that AI clones could be used to extort money from loved ones over the phone.

OpenAI's Scarlett Johansson gaffe pushes voice cloning into spotlight

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OpenAI's Scarlett Johansson gaffe pushes voice cloning into spotlight

Agence France-Presse

Published May 28, 2024 11:08 AM PHT

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