OpenAI has paused the ability for users of its AI video model, Sora, to generate videos that resemble Martin Luther King Jr. following requests from Dr. King’s estate due to “disrespectful depictions” of his image.
In a statement from its official newsroom account on X, OpenAI said, “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 added, “Authorized representatives or estate owners can request that their likeness not be used in Sora cameos.” This move highlights the company’s consideration for the concerns of public figures and their families regarding the use of their likenesses in AI-generated content.
The restriction follows the launch of the Sora social video platform a few weeks earlier, which allows users to create realistic AI-generated videos resembling historical figures, friends, and other users who opt-in to have their likeness recreated. The launch has prompted public debate regarding the potential dangers of AI-generated videos and the necessity for platforms to implement safeguards to prevent misuse.
The issue gained attention last week when Dr. King’s daughter, Dr. Bernice King, posted on Instagram asking people to stop sending her AI videos that resembled her father. Similarly, Robin Williams’ daughter requested that Sora users stop creating AI videos of her father, echoing concerns about the inappropriate use of AI-generated content featuring deceased individuals.
According to a report by The Washington Post earlier this week, Sora users had produced AI-generated videos depicting Dr. King in demeaning and inappropriate scenarios, such as making monkey noises and wrestling with fellow civil rights leader Malcolm X. The Sora app also contains crude videos resembling other historical figures, including artist Bob Ross, singer Whitney Houston, and former President John F. Kennedy, raising further concerns about the platform’s content moderation.
The launch of Sora has also raised questions about how social media platforms should manage AI-generated videos of copyrighted material, as the app contains videos featuring cartoons such as SpongeBob, South Park, and Pokémon. The licensor of Dr. King’s estate had not immediately responded to a request for comment from TechCrunch, leaving the full extent of their concerns and the specifics of their request to OpenAI unclear.
