What is Weights.gg? OpenAI quietly acquired a startup famous for AI deepfake voices
OpenAI has acquired Weights.gg, a startup specializing in AI voice replication tools like Replay, which hosted voice models of figures including Taylor Swift, Kanye West, and Donald Trump, despite shutting down operations in March. The company has no immediate plans to release standalone voice cloning tech but will integrate its technology internally, while concerns over misuse and legal disputes, like Taylor Swift’s trademark applications, persist.
OpenAI quietly acquired Weights.gg, a startup known for AI-powered voice cloning tools, according to *The New York Times*. The company shut down its platform in March 2026, citing a message on its website stating all services were no longer available. Weights.gg’s consumer app, Replay, allowed users to create and share AI-generated voice models of public figures, including musicians like Taylor Swift and Kanye West, political leaders such as Donald Trump and Joe Biden, and fictional characters like Bugs Bunny. The acquisition reportedly includes Weights.gg’s small team and intellectual property, though OpenAI has no plans to release a standalone product similar to Replay. Instead, the acquired employees have been redistributed across OpenAI’s internal teams, suggesting the technology will be integrated into existing projects. OpenAI has previously expressed caution about voice cloning due to misuse risks, noting in a 2024 blog post that it had developed the capability but chose not to release it publicly. Voice cloning remains controversial, with figures like Taylor Swift and Scarlett Johansson taking legal action to protect their likenesses. Swift has filed trademark applications for her voice, while Johansson threatened OpenAI over a voice named ‘Sky’ in ChatGPT, alleging it resembled hers. Meanwhile, OpenAI has expanded its own voice tools through APIs, enabling features like real-time translation and voice-based AI agents, including a voice-only ChatGPT integration with Apple CarPlay. The acquisition underscores OpenAI’s focus on refining internal AI capabilities rather than launching new consumer-facing voice-cloning products. While Weights.gg’s shutdown marks the end of its public platform, its technology may now influence OpenAI’s future developments in voice synthesis and ethical AI deployment.
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