Following Scarlett Johansson, OpenAI Begins Imitating Disney Characters

OpenAI has just released a new demo showcasing the ability of its GPT-4o model to generate voices for a range of Disney-like characters, including snakes, owls, and foxes, putting aside the controversy surrounding Scarlett Johansson.

In the demo, the model was asked to generate the voice of an intelligent and composed owl, playing the role of a lion's advisor in the jungle. The modulation of the model's voice and the owl's wise intonation seem to be inspired by Disney movies, particularly the owl in "Winnie the Pooh."

Similarly, when the model produces a sharp voice resembling that of a mouse, it immediately brings to mind the famous character Mickey Mouse.

Interestingly, when asked to produce an evil laugh and suggest which animal would fit this laugh, the model replied, "For a villain with this laugh, it could be a cunning snake or a sly fox."

These Disney characters are spread across multiple films, such as the snake Kaa in "The Jungle Book" and the fox inspired by Honest John in "Pinocchio."

Although these voices resemble Disney characters, it does not give Disney Studios the right to sue them. The best thing about GPT-4o is its ability to generate various pitches, tones, and accents. As CEO Sam Altman puts it, "This model is very fluent."

A user commented on YouTube, "Disney doesn't own the copyright to high-pitched anthropomorphic mice - it's a basic concept that predates Disney by at least a few thousand years."

However, there is no doubt that this new feature puts voice actors and voice artists' professions at risk. "OpenAI is now stealing voice actors' jobs," one user posted on X. Another humorously mentioned Johansson's drama, saying, "Scarlett: This sounds like me! OpenAI: You're kidding, it can sound like anyone."

Meanwhile, Pixar recently announced plans to lay off around 175 employees, accounting for 14% of its total workforce. These layoffs are part of Disney CEO Bob Iger's initiative to prioritize quality over quantity in studio content.

Interestingly, in 2021, Johansson sued Disney, claiming that the studio violated her contract by releasing "Black Widow" on Disney+ on the same day as its theatrical premiere. If Disney were to sue OpenAI now, it would complete the full circle. This drama would be more exciting than a Disney movie.

Disney X OpenAI

Earlier this year, OpenAI released its generative AI video model Sora, which is capable of creating hyper-realistic videos. Given the trend of news media publications collaborating with OpenAI and licensing its content, Disney is likely to collaborate with OpenAI in content creation.

The world's first commissioned music video, "The Hardest Part," directed by Paul Trillo and entirely produced using OpenAI's Sora, was recently released.

"Walt Disney himself was a strong advocate of using technology to tell better stories. He believed that technology in the hands of great storytellers was an incredible force," said Disney CEO Bob Iger at a recent Canva event.

"Don't just focus on its disruptive capabilities - focus on the ability of technology to make us better and tell better stories. Not only tell better stories but also reach more people," Iger added.

Recently, OpenAI has also been pitching Sora to Hollywood and other entertainment giants. The AI startup has been actively arranging meetings with Hollywood studios, media executives, and talent agencies in Los Angeles.

Actor and investor Ashton Kutcher has been singing praises for OpenAI's Sora model. "I've been playing with Sora, which is a tool for generating videos that OpenAI just released," Kutcher said. "I have a beta version, and it's really great. Like, it's really good," he excitedly expressed.

With the combined features of Sora and GPT-4o's voice capabilities, producing short films and cartoon series will become incredibly easy in the future. The 2024 Tribeca Film Festival will showcase five AI-generated short films produced in collaboration with OpenAI's Sora.

As Kutcher puts it, "The content will be more than just eyeballs watching it. The value of any content is only as good as your ability to get people to consume it. The bar will be raised significantly. Why would you watch my movie when you can watch your own?"