ScarJo Sets an Important Precedent for Creators

Issue #239 | May 21, 2024

It feels like something important is brewing these past few months with celebrities and AI — whether it’s FKA Twigs speaking to the Senate about AI robbing artists of their rights, Sony sending out warnings to hundreds of AI companies to not use their creators’ work, or the Tree Queen herself (aka Scarlett Johansson) speaking out against OpenAI. In case you’re unfamiliar with the latter, our reporter Charlotte Colombo broke down the viral ScarJo news today. In short, OpenAI had to pause its latest ChatGPT voice bot, known as “Sky,” after Johansson spoke out about how it sounds exactly like her.

THE COMMENTS SECTION

“In a time when we are all grappling with deepfakes and the protection of our own likeness, our own work, our own identities, I believe these are questions that deserve absolute clarity.”
– Scarlett Johansson.

Celebrities are often much-needed leaders at the forefront of the labor movement. The most powerful unions in the entertainment industry today, like the Writers Guild and SAG-AFTRA, accumulated their power largely due to the early backing of famous Hollywood stars. SAG-AFTRA, which includes various types of creators and influencers in its ranks, has already signaled support for Johansson in the wake of this news.

Ultimately, today’s biggest stars like Johansson (or any of you fancy-schmancy creators in the audience) can use their platform and withhold labor to force major companies like OpenAI to create AI standards that can help ensure protections for everyone in the industry, even the smallest creators.

In summation, thank you, millionaires, we appreciate your #solidarity. Maybe we won’t eat you now.

– Grace Stanley, Deputy Editor

PERSONALITIES

OpenAI Pulls ChatGPT-4 Voice After Actress Scarlett Johansson Speaks Out

‘I was shocked, angered and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so eerily similar to mine.’

By Charlotte Colombo, Passionfruit Contributor

→ READ THE FULL STORY

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IN THE BIZ

TikTok (alongside a group of creators and the Department of Justice) wants to fast-track its lawsuit against the U.S. government that challenges a potential nationwide ban.
Billionaire Frank McCourt, CEO of Project Liberty, says he wants to buy TikTok from its Chinese parent company ByteDance.
YouTube has launched its “YouTube Select Creator Takeover” program, allowing advertisers to exclusively run ads on top creators’ channels.
With new policies, TikTok is doing more to prevent the proliferation of toxic diet culture content, prohibiting “potentially harmful weight management behavior” from its For You Page.

CULTURE

Streamer Kai Cenat Spends 167 Hours to Beat One of the Hardest Video Games, ‘Elden Ring’

The marathon attracted a lot of attention and even some controversy.

By Steven Asarch, Passionfruit Contributor

READ THE FULL STORY →

streamer Kai Cenat next to video game emojis and elden ring video game in the background

TIPS & TRICKS

ai law - a gavel and a robot resting over the word AI

AI Law and You: A Creator’s Guide To Ethically Using AI While The Legal Framework Evolves

When tech moves faster than the law, your ethics are important.

By Patricia Grisafi, Passionfruit Contributor

READ THE FULL STORY →

UPCOMING EVENTS

The Shorty Awards ceremony takes place on May 22 in New York City.
The Tribeca Film Festival is June 5-16 in New York City.
Open Sauce, a creator science convention, will run June 14-16 in San Francisco.
The Cannes Lions marketing festival runs from June 17 to June 21 in Cannes, France.

YOUTUBE MADE ME DO IT

Check out this teaser for the first episode of The Mix, featuring our conversation with Ben Chinapen, the lead editor for Mr. Sunday Movies and various other channels. If you’re interested in hearing the full hour long conversation, you can find it over at the Passionfruit Patreon. And don’t forget to join the Passionfruit Discord where we host live shows on Fridays.