OpenAI, the company known for developing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technology, was the subject of a scathing statement by actress Scarlett Johansson this week, in which she expressed “anger” and “disbelief” to hear a voice “eerily similar” to her own used — without her approval — in a demo of the company’s new speaking feature on its popular AI-powered chatbot, ChatGPT.
The Johannson controversy follows a string of high profile resignations by OpenAI executives. The company previously has seen multiple executives quitting within weeks of each other. The most recent departure, Jan Leike, said in a May 17 post on X that he disagreed with OpenAI’s leadership and “core priorities,” especially regarding safety.
OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, was initially ousted in November 2023 and rejoined the board of directors in March following a legal review.
⏪ Let’s rewind. What exactly is OpenAI?
OpenAI launched in 2015 with a promise to build “safe and beneficial” AI technology and policies.
From 2020 to 2022, it launched …