It seems like people are using Sora 2, OpenAI‘s new video generator, in the morally reprehensible ways AI skeptics would expect. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s estate had to step in to remove the civil rights leader’s likeness from its library, for example. “OpenAI has paused generations depicting Dr. King as it strengthens guardrails for historical figures,” the company wrote in a joint statement with King’s estate on X. Why were these measures necessary? “Some users generated disrespectful depictions of Dr. King’s image,” the post explained. It didn’t go into detail on what these depictions entailed, but it’s not hard to imagine.
Sora 2 video generator allows users to generate eerily accurate depictions of recognizable celebrities and characters (often without the permission of the people or rights holders in question) doing pretty much whatever the person entering the prompt can dream up. This, unsurprisingly, has caused a tidal wave of backlash, notably from top Hollywood agents who allege that CEO Sam Altman gave them the runaround in a “calculated” attempt to gain access to their clients’ likenesses. At least OpenAI has supposedly allowed King’s daughter, Dr. Bernice A. King, and the AI Ethics Council to create “space for conversations” into protecting the legacies of historical figures moving forward. “While there are strong free speech interests in depicting historical figures, OpenAI believes public figures and their families should ultimately have control over how their likeness is used,” the company wrote. “Authorized representatives or estate owners can request that their likeness not be used in Sora cameos.”
The wording of this statement, however, betrays a larger issue underlying this rollout. Celebrities—and apparently the estates of historical figures—must opt out of automatic inclusion in the video generator’s library instead of choosing to be included in the first place. There’s currently no formal process in place to do so, an anonymous Hollywood agency executive recently told The Hollywood Reporter, and any attempts have been “slow and cumbersome.” “They’re turning copyright on its head,” added former Showtime Networks executive VP Rob Rosenberg in the same article. “They’re setting up this false bargain where they can do this unless you opt out. And if you didn’t, it’s your fault.” At least Dr. King has been spared from further artificial indignities—for now.
