OpenAI halts Martin Luther King Jr. videos on Sora
OpenAI stopped Sora from creating videos of Martin Luther King Jr. on October 16 after the civil rights leader's estate raised concerns about disrespectful portrayals.
The company added a safeguard that blocks users from generating videos resembling King. OpenAI said some user-made clips had violated boundaries set by his estate.
In a post on X, OpenAI acknowledged free speech interests in depicting historical figures but said public figures and their families should control how their likeness appears in AI-generated content. The company now allows authorized representatives or estate owners to request blocks on specific likenesses in Sora.
The new Sora AI model launched to the public several weeks ago. The tool creates realistic AI-generated videos of people, including historical figures and users who consent to be portrayed. The release triggered debate about content moderation and synthetic depictions of real people.
Dr. Bernice King, Martin Luther King Jr.'s daughter, posted on social media asking people to stop sharing AI videos of her father. Reports indicated that some Sora-generated clips portrayed King in crude ways.
OpenAI and the Estate of Martin Luther King, Jr., Inc. worked together to address how King's likeness appears in Sora generations, according to a statement from the company.
Earlier this week, OpenAI said representatives of recently deceased public figures could request blocks on Sora depictions. The company plans to develop more detailed tools for rights holders to manage how copyrighted works appear in AI videos.
OpenAI did not say when it would lift the pause on Martin Luther King Jr. generations.The restriction marks one of the first cases where OpenAI has blocked a specific individual's likeness in Sora at the request of an estate. The company has not disclosed whether other public figures or estates have made similar requests.
Author
Has been exploring the enigmas of the crypto industry since 2017, transforming them into accessible narratives. Relies on dark chocolate and nuts as a secret source of energy and inspiration.
