‘With a Robotic Arm’: Scarlett Johansson Agrees Sam Altman Would Make A Good Marvel Villain

Scarlett Johansson about AI and Sam Altman

Scarlett Johansson has portrayed characters with advanced AI capabilities on screen, collaborated with such robots, and even assumed the role of an AI entity in certain films. In her personal life, Johansson, famously known for her role in “Lost in Translation,” has openly expressed her views regarding artificial intelligence.

After a recent controversy over her voice being used without consent for OpenAI’s project Sky, the actress from “Lucy” expressed her thoughts on the rapidly advancing technology.

In an interview with The New York Times, Scarlett Johansson shared that she’s typically steered clear of discussions about artificial intelligence. But finding herself drawn into the conversation left her feeling uneasy and disturbed.

Johnson shared how she felt both insane and enraged when recalling the experience. The actress from The Avengers expressed her strong disagreement with having her voice utilized for Sky, going against her deeply held beliefs.

I received an email from Sam Altman asking for permission to use my voice for Sky, but I had only shared this with my husband up until then. (Or) When Sam Altman reached out to ask if he could use my voice in Sky, I had previously kept that information from my husband alone.

Scarlett Johansson cautioned with concern that deepfake technology poses a dangerous abyss, able to ruin lives, particularly when used as a tool for vengeance by former partners.

In her interview, when questioned about Altman’s potential as a Marvel villain, the actress from Don Jon responded, “He could possibly fit that role, perhaps with a robotic limb.”

Scarlett Johansson and Sam Altman’s battle

Earlier in the year, news outlets reported on a dispute between Scarlett Johansson and Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO. In a public announcement, Johansson revealed that Altman had reached out to her in September of the previous year, requesting her to lend her voice to Sky, an OpenAI project, as a nod to her character from the film Her.

Despite refusing the proposal due to private motives, the matter became contentious when Scarlett Johansson believed her voice was being utilized for the AI tech against her will.

The lawyers representing Scarlett Johansson reached out to OpenAI to request they remove her voice from their AI. However, OpenAI responded by explaining that the voice utilized in their technology is just an imitation of Scarlett Johansson’s voice and is owned by a skilled actress.

Apologizing to Johansson, Sam Altman later paused Sky.