ScarJo’s A.I. Legacy

Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson’s legal threat ignited a discussion about digital replicas, spurred legislative initiatives, and encouraged others to file lawsuits of their own. Photo: Samir Hussein/Getty Images
Eriq Gardner
December 4, 2024

Decades from now, Scarlett Johansson’s legal threat against OpenAI may stand out as a defining moment in Hollywood’s relationship with artificial intelligence. You’ll no doubt recall how a single cease-and-desist letter over the imitation of her voice landed the Marvel star on Time’s “100 Most Influential People in Artificial Intelligence” list, even though Sam Altman’s company quickly denied the accusation. At the time, it wasn’t clear whether Johansson had standing to sue over the alleged use of her voice from the movie Her—and she has yet to actually sue—but the letter ignited a discussion about digital replicas, spurred legislative initiatives, and encouraged others to file lawsuits of their own.