Congresswoman Nancy Mace, Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation, has extended an invitation to actress Scarlett Johansson (pictured) to testify at an upcoming hearing regarding the unauthorized replication of her voice by OpenAI's GPT-4o update.
You can see the letter below. FYI - the Congresswoman's office said the date and time of the hearing are to be determined as Johansson is unavailable on the date listed in the letter.
Rep. Mace's office said the hearing will address the broader issues surrounding the uses and abuses of deepfake technology. The Subcommittee has been investigating how digital forgeries, including deep fakes, can infringe on individual rights and privacy.
Johansson recently expressed her concerns about the striking resemblance between her voice and that of the “Sky” chatbot. In her statement, Johansson said, "I am shocked and angered by the unauthorized use of my voice by OpenAI. This blatant disregard for consent and privacy must be addressed to protect individuals' rights in the digital age."
Rep. Mace's office said they believe Johansson’s testimony will "be invaluable in informing the public debate and shaping future legislation to protect individuals from unauthorized AI replications."
Earlier this year, Rep. Mace introduced legislation aimed at providing rights to victims of deepfakes and the unauthorized use of identifiable persons without their consent. This legislation seeks to ensure that individuals have legal recourse and protections in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
