OpenAI Halts Martin Luther King Jr. Deepfakes on Sora Amid Controversy

OpenAI pauses Sora video generations of Martin Luther King Jr. | TechCrunch

OpenAI announced Thursday it paused the ability for users to generate videos resembling the late civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. using its AI video model, Sora. The company says it's adding this safeguard at the request of Dr. King's estate after some Sora users generated "disrespectful depictions" of his image. "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," OpenAI said in a post on X from its official newsroom account. "Authorized representatives or estate owners can request that their likeness not be used in Sora cameos." The restriction comes just a few weeks after OpenAI launched its social video platform, Sora, which allows users to create realistic AI-generated videos resembling historical figures, their friends, and users who elect to have their likeness recreated on the platform. The launch has stirred fervent public debate around the dangers of AI-generated videos, and how platforms should implement guardrails around the technology. Dr. Bernice King, Dr. King's daughter, posted on Instagram last week asking people to stop sending her AI videos resembling her father. She joined Robin Williams' daughter, who also asked Sora users to stop generating AI videos of her father. The Washington Post reported earlier this week that Sora users had created AI-generated videos of Dr. King making monkey noises and wrestling with another civil rights icon, Malcolm X. Scrolling through OpenAI's Sora app, it's easy to find crude videos resembling other historical figures, including artist Bob Ross, singer Whitney Houston, and former President John F. Kennedy. The licensor of Dr. King's estate did not immediately respond to TechCrunch's request for comment. Beyond how Sora represents humans, the launch has also raised a flurry of questions around how social media platforms should handle AI videos of copyrighted works. The Sora app is also full of videos depicting cartoons like SpongeBob, South Park, and Pokémon. OpenAI has added other restrictions to Sora in weeks since its launch. Earlier in October, the company said it planned to give copyright holders more granular control over the types of AI videos that can be generated with their likeness. That may have been a response to Hollywood's initial reaction to Sora, which was not great. As OpenAI adds restrictions to Sora, the company seems to be taking a more hands-off approach to moderating content in ChatGPT. OpenAI announced this week that it would allow adult users to have "erotic" chats with ChatGPT in the coming months. With Sora, it seems that OpenAI is grappling with the concerns that come along with AI video generation. Some OpenAI researchers publicly wrestled with questions about the company's first AI-powered social media platform in the days after its launch, and how such a product fits into the nonprofit's mission. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the company felt "trepidation" about Sora on launch day. Nick Turley, the head of ChatGPT, told me earlier this month that the best way to teach the world about a new technology is putting it out in the world. He said that's what the company learned with ChatGPT, and that's what OpenAI is finding with Sora, too. It seems the company is learning something about how to distribute this technology, as well.

OpenAI Pauses Sora AI Videos of Martin Luther King Jr. as 'Inappropriate' Deepfakes Flood the App

OpenAI will no longer allow its users to create AI deepfakes of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on its Sora AI social media app. That decision highlights the intense conflict between AI companies and rights holders like celebrities' estates, movie studios and talent agencies -- and how generative AI tech continues to erode reality for all of us. Sora, a new sister app to ChatGPT, lets users create and share AI-generated videos. It launched to much fanfare three weeks ago, with AI enthusiasts searching for invite codes. But Sora is unique among AI video generators and social media apps; it lets you use other people's recorded likenesses to place them in nearly any AI video. It has been, at best, weird and funny -- and at worst, a never-ending scroll of deepfakes that are nearly indistinguishable from reality. OpenAI does have guardrails in place to prevent the creation of videos of well-known people: It rejected my prompt asking for a video of Taylor Swift on stage, for example. But these guardrails aren't perfect, as we've seen this week with a growing trend of people creating videos featuring King. They ranged from weird deepfakes of him rapping and wrestling in the WWE to overtly racist content. Don't miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source. The flood of "disrespectful depictions," as OpenAI called them in a statement, is part of why the company paused the ability to create videos featuring King. Bernice A. King, daughter of the late civil rights leader, last week publicly asked for people to stop sending her AI-generated videos of her father. She was echoing comedian Robin Williams' daughter, Zelda, who called these sorts of AI videos "gross." In its statement, OpenAI said it "believes public figures and their families should ultimately have control over how their likeness is used" and that "authorized representatives" of public figures and their estates can request that their likeness not be included in Sora. This isn't the first time OpenAI has leaned on others to make those calls. Before Sora's launch, the company reportedly told a number of Hollywood-adjacent talent agencies that they would be able to opt out of having their intellectual property included in Sora. In this case, King's estate is the entity responsible for choosing how his likeness is used. OpenAI's approach didn't square with decades of copyright law -- usually, companies need to license protected content before using it -- and OpenAI reversed its stance a few days later. It's one example of how AI companies and creators are clashing over copyright, including through high-profile lawsuits. (Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET's parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)

OpenAI halts MLK deepfakes on Sora

OpenAI's changing stance on historical figures echoes its approach to copyright when Sora first launched. The strategy proved controversial, and the platform mounted an embarrassing U-turn to an "opt-in" policy for rightsholders after it was inundated with depictions of characters like Pikachu, Rick and Morty, and SpongeBob SquarePants. Unlike copyright, there's no federal framework for protecting people's likeness, but a variety of state laws let people sue over unauthorized use of a living person's image -- and in some states, a deceased person's as well. California, where OpenAI is based, for example, has specifically said postmortem privacy rights apply for AI replicas of performers. For living humans, OpenAI has allowed people to opt in to appearing in videos from the start by having them make AI clones of themselves.

OpenAI suspends Sora depictions of Martin Luther King Jr. following a request from his family

OpenAI has paused video generations of Martin Luther King Jr. on Sora at the request of King Inc., the estate that manages his legacy. The company said in an announcement on X that it worked with the estate to address how his "likeness is represented in Sora generations" after people used the app to create disrespectful depictions of the American civil rights leader. It's not quite clear if OpenAI intends to restore Sora's ability to generate videos with MLK in the future, but it's wording implies it does and that it has only suspended the capability as it "strengthens guardrails for historical figures." After OpenAI launched the Sora app, users generated videos with likenesses of dead public figures, including Michael Jackson, Robin Williams and MLK. Williams' daughter, Zelda Williams, had to beg people to stop sending her AI videos of her father. "To watch the legacies of real people be condensed down to 'this vaguely looks and sounds like them so that's enough', just so other people can churn out horrible TikTok slop puppeteering them is maddening," she wrote on Instagram. MLK's daughter, Bernice A. King, wrote on Threads that she agreed and also asked people to stop sending her videos of her father. According to a report by The Washington Post, the Sora-made videos that were posted online included King making monkey noises while he was giving his "I Have a Dream" speech. Another video showed King wrestling with Malcolm X, whose daughter, Ilyasah Shabazz, questioned why AI developers weren't acting "with the same morality, conscience, and care... that they'd want for their own families" in a statement made to The Post. OpenAI said that while there are "strong free speech interests in depicting historical figures," it believes "public figures and their families should ultimately have control over how their likeness is used." It also said that the estate owners of other historical figures and their representatives can ask the company for their likenesses not to be used in Sora videos, as well.

OpenAI temporarily stops AI deepfakes of Martin Luther King Jr

OpenAI has temporarily stopped its artificial intelligence (AI) app Sora creating deepfake videos portraying Dr Martin Luther King Jr, following a request from his estate. It said "disrespectful" content had been generated about the civil rights campaigner. Sora has become popular in the US for making hyper-realistic AI-generated videos, which has led to people sharing clips of deceased celebrities and historical figures in outlandish and often offensive scenarios. OpenAI said it would pause images of Dr King "as it strengthens guardrails for historical figures" - but it continues to allow people to make clips of others.

OpenAI Blocks Users From Making AI Videos of Martin Luther King Jr.

The company says it’s adding new “guardrails†to protect historical figures from AI misuse. OpenAI is blocking users from making AI-generated videos of late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. in its AI video model Sora. The company announced the move Thursday in a joint statement with the King Estate. According to OpenAI, some users had created “disrespectful depictions†of King. At the request of his estate, the company said it's pausing users' ability to generate videos of the activist as it works to “strengthen guardrails for historical figures.†“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 said in the statement. OpenAI added that authorized representatives or estate owners of other historical figures can now request that their likeness not be used in Sora videos. OpenAI recently launched its most advanced AI video model, Sora 2, along with a new TikTok-like social media app. The app lets users upload their own likeness, called a cameo, to create AI-generated videos featuring themselves, their friends, celebrities, and fictional characters. Since its debut just a few weeks ago, OpenAI has already started tweaking how the app works as it tries to navigate the still-murky balance between free expression and the misuse of AI. Even OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a post on X that the company felt some level of “trepidation†in launching its latest model and social media app. “Social media has had some good effects on the world, but it’s also had some bad ones," he wrote. "We are aware of how addictive a service like this could become, and we can imagine many ways it could be used for bullying.†It didn’t take long for people to start being weird with Sora. The Washington Post reported that Sora-generated clips of late celebrities like Michael Jackson, Amy Winehouse, and Whitney Houston have quickly flooded social media. While some are meant as lighthearted tributes, others are more disrespectful. According to The Post, some users made videos of King making monkey noises during his “I Have a Dream†speech and wrestling with fellow civil rights activist Malcolm X. Some families of the deceased quickly complained and have asked people to stop sharing AI videos of their relatives. Zelda Williams, the daughter of the late actor Robin Williams, posted on Instagram earlier this month, urging people to stop sending her AI-generated videos of her dad. It’s unclear whether the videos she was referencing were created with Sora, but her post followed the app’s launch. Bernice King, Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter, wrote in her own Instagram post about Williams’s comments, “I concur concerning my father. Please stop.†OpenAI’s latest move echoes its shift in how it handles copyrighted material. After initially requiring copyright holders to opt out of having their content appear in Sora-generated videos, Altman announced earlier this month that the company will move to an “opt-in†model that will “give rightsholders more granular control over generation of characters.â€

OpenAI blocks MLK Jr. videos on Sora after 'disrespectful depictions'

The families of some deceased celebrities and public figures, including Martin Luther King Jr., have criticized OpenAI for allowing depictions of vulgar, unflattering or incriminating behavior on its Sora app. Sora/Open AI/Annotation by NPR hide caption OpenAI has blocked users from making videos of Martin Luther King Jr. on its Sora app after the estate of the civil rights leader complained about the spread of "disrespectful depictions." Since the company launched Sora three weeks ago, hyper-realistic deepfake videos of King saying crude, offensive or racist things have rocketed across social media, including fake videos of King stealing from a grocery store, speeding away from police and perpetuating racial stereotypes. Late on Thursday, OpenAI and King's estate released a joint statement saying AI videos portraying King are being blocked as the company "strengthens guardrails for historical figures." OpenAI said it believes there are "strong free speech interests" in allowing users to make AI deepfakes of historical figures, but that estates should have ultimate control over how those likenesses are used. The Sora app, which remains invite-only, has taken a shoot-first, aim-later approach to safety guardrails, which has raised alarms with intellectual property lawyers, public figures and disinformation researchers. When someone joins the app, they are instructed to record a video of themselves from multiple angles and record themselves speaking. Users can control whether others can make deepfake videos of them, which Sora calls a "cameo." But the app allowed people to make videos of many celebrities and historical figures without explicit consent, enabling users to create fake footage of Princess Diana, John F. Kennedy, Kurt Cobain, Malcolm X and many others. The ability to control how one's likeness is used does not stop when someone dies. "Right of publicity" laws vary by state, but in California, for instance, heirs to a public figure, or their estate, own the rights to likeness for 70 years after a celebrity's death. In the days after the Sora app was released, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced changes to the app providing rights holders the ability to opt into their likenesses being depicted by AI, rather than such portrayals being allowed by default. Still, the families of some deceased celebrities and public figures have criticized OpenAI for allowing depictions of vulgar, unflattering or incriminating behavior. After videos of Robin Williams flooded social media feeds, Zelda Williams, the late actor's daughter, asked the public to stop making videos of her father. "Please, just stop sending me AI videos of my dad," she wrote in an Instagram post, adding that "it's NOT what he'd want." Bernice King, the civil rights leader's daughter, agreed, writing on X: "Please stop." Hollywood studios and talent agencies have also expressed concern that OpenAI unveiled the Sora app without receiving consent from copyright holders. It's an approach similar to how the company has developed ChatGPT, which sucked up droves of copyrighted content without approval or payment before eventually striking licensing deals with some publishers. The approach has sparked a wave of copyright lawsuits.

OpenAI pulls MLK out of Sora after backlash -- here's what this means for AI and identity

OpenAI announced today that it is pausing AI‑generated videos of Martin Luther King Jr. in its Sora app, following intense criticism over "disrespectful" deepfake content featuring the civil rights icon. The videos of MLK Jr. have included everything from talking about dreaming of chocolate chunk cookies and Sam Altman to much more sinister video generations. While the move is framed as a concession to King's estate, it signals deeper tensions in how AI platforms navigate history, consent and the ethics of resurrecting public figures. Michael Jackson, Kobe Bryant and JFK are among the deceased and disrespectful videos currently circulating. OpenAI is doing what it should have done from the start: not allowing deceased public figures to be used in AI generated videos. Since Sora launched, users posted AI videos with shocking distortions of Dr. King among other prominent figures -- including depictions that his family and supporters called offensive and demeaning. Bernice A. King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., publicly demanded on Instagram the generated videos stop, prompting a joint statement with OpenAI about stronger guardrails and opt-out mechanisms for estates. OpenAI framed the decision as balancing free speech with respecting legacy and control: the company said public figures (and their families) should have a say in how their likeness is used in AI media. AI tools like Sora let users imagine or impersonate cultural icons long deceased, but the ethics of that are quickly murky. Is it tribute, satire, or desecration? The pause highlights just how raw and unresolved that debate is. Even before Sora 2 was released, during a briefing with OpenAI that included Sam Altman, myself and other journalists questioned the negative possibilities of giving users such powerful AI tools. Yet, it's taken public backlash to get OpenAI to make any kind of adjustment. Unlike copyright law, U.S. law doesn't universally protect how deceased individuals' images are used -- though a handful of states recognize postmortem rights of publicity. OpenAI's "opt-out for estates" policy doesn't guarantee much until the courts or states define stronger boundaries. Some legal experts call their approach piecemeal and reactive. OpenAI originally allowed broad depictions of deceased people by default, unless estates objected. This new policy is being framed as part of a shift -- but many believe the company is still playing catch-up. Critics note that banning MLK might be a one-off; controlling the rest of the AI echo chamber is a much harder problem. When films, textbooks and archives already mediate how we remember history, AI deepfakes risk becoming another lens; one that's unaccountable. If users can "reimagine" King saying or doing anything, what stops distortion over decades? Clearly, we are in uncharted territory. Because of the backlash, estates or representatives of other historical figures can request opt-outs from being included in Sora video generation. While OpenAI acknowledged strong free speech interests, it chose to pause MLK depictions first. But, perhaps this is just a test case. It's worth considering why and how we use such powerful AI tools. It opens up questions about how OpenAI will handle subsequent cases. Will the company proactively block certain figures. With billions of videos generated, how can they possibly police it all. Is the answer to create a database of disallowed likenesses or should they rely on manual requests? If you're using Sora or similar AI video tools, this pause is a warning flag. Expect more limitations on who (or what) you can bring to life in AI-generated media. It also opens a window into a broader reckoning that AI is about responsibility. Just as with powerful engines we can't drive all over the road or with no rules, AI's power needs to be managed in somehow, too. From celebrity likenesses to historical memory, I have no doubts that platforms will be increasingly judged by how they manage the space between creativity and consent. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

OpenAI puts a stop to Martin Luther King Jr. Sora memes

When we first tested Sora, the new AI video app from OpenAI, we noted that the app's social feed was full of memes depicting Martin Luther King Jr. And on Thursday, OpenAI announced that it has now paused the ability for users to create AI-generated videos featuring the likeness of the civil rights icon. In the year 2025, deepfakes like this are a well-known problem, and it's a frankly predictable issue to arise. The move comes after critical comments from the King family, who objected to offensive depictions of the American hero on Sora. OpenAI wrote in a statement on X: "The Estate of Martin Luther King, Jr., Inc. (King, Inc.) and OpenAI have worked together to address how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s likeness is represented in Sora generations. Some users generated disrespectful depictions of Dr. King's image. So at King, Inc.'s request, OpenAI has paused generations depicting Dr. King as it strengthens guardrails for historical figures. 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. Authorized representatives or estate owners can request that their likeness not be used in Sora cameos." The Washington Post reported King's likeness was being used in a variety of racist ways. For example, some videos depicted MLK making monkey noises during his "I Have A Dream" speech and wrestling activist Malcolm X. Popular YouTuber Hank Green also railed against Sora 2, notably referencing a video of MLK doing the 6-7 meme in a particularly crass version of AI slop. Dr. Bernice King, King's daughter, posted on Instagram asking people to "please stop" using AI to create fake recreations of her father, concurring with Robin Williams' daughter, Zelda, who recently spoke up about this issue as well. While Sora users may no longer be able to create videos of MLK -- at least for now -- it seems clear that AI deepfakes of famous people will be an ongoing issue.

OpenAI halts MLK videos as deepfakes spark outrage

OpenAI has suspended its Sora 2 artificial intelligence tool from creating videos of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. after his estate complained about disrespectful depictions. The slain civil rights leader's estate and OpenAI announced the decision in a joint statement late Thursday, saying the company would pause generations depicting King while it "strengthens guardrails for historical figures." The move comes as families of deceased celebrities and leaders have expressed outrage over OpenAI's Sora 2 video tool, which allows users to create realistic-looking clips of historical figures without family consent. Some users had generated videos showing King making monkey noises during his "I Have a Dream" speech and other demeaning content, according to The Washington Post. Videos reanimating other dead figures including Malcolm X, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley and Amy Winehouse have flooded social media since Sora 2's launch on September 30. "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 joint statement said. The company said authorized representatives or estate owners can now request that their likenesses not be used in the AI-generated videos, known as "Sora cameos." OpenAI thanked Bernice King, King's daughter who serves on behalf of the estate, "for reaching out" as well as businessman John Hope Bryant and the AI Ethics Council "for creating space for conversations like this." The text-to-video tool has rocketed to the top of download charts since its launch but sparked immediate controversy. Actor Robin Williams's daughter Zelda Williams pleaded with people on Instagram to "stop sending me AI videos of dad," calling the content "maddening." Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X, told The Washington Post it was "deeply disrespectful" to see her father's image used in crude and insensitive AI videos. Malcolm X was assassinated in front of Shabazz in 1965 when she was two years old. OpenAI had initially exempted "historical figures" from consent requirements when it launched Sora 2 last month, allowing anyone to create fake videos resurrecting public figures. Sora 2 has already raised opposition from Hollywood, with the creative industry furious at OpenAI's opt-out policy when it came to the use of its copyrighted characters and content in generated videos. Disney sent a sharply worded letter to OpenAI in late September stating it "is not required to 'opt out' of inclusion of its works" to preserve its copyright rights. Amid the pushback, OpenAI promised that it would give more "granular control" to rights holders. After the launch of the Sora 2 app, the tool usually refused requests for videos featuring Disney or Marvel characters, some users said. However, clips showing characters from other US franchises, as well as Japanese characters from popular game and anime series, were widely shared.

OpenAI pauses AI generated deepfakes of Martin Luther King Jr. on Sora 2 app after 'disrespectful' depictions | Fortune

Sora 2, the OpenAI app known for its deepfake videos of celebrities and influencers, is pausing users' ability to recreate Martin Luther King Jr.'s likeness after his daughter, Bernice A. King, claimed his image was being used in a "demeaning, disjointed" way. In response to the "disrespectful depictions" of King Jr. generated by users on the Sora 2 app, OpenAI claimed it is strengthening its guardrails for how users depict historical figures, the company said in a joint statement with the King estate. While the company claimed there are free speech interests in depicting historical figures, it said "public figures and their families should ultimately have control over how their likeness is used. Authorized representatives or estate owners can request that their likeness not be used in Sora cameos." It was not immediately clear how these standards would distinguish between who would be considered a public or historical figure, or if people would have to make requests to OpenAI on a case-by case basis. The younger King, who is also a lawyer, minister, and CEO of the King Center, the nonprofit founded by her mother Coretta Scott King after King Jr.'s assasination in 1968, said she did not like the way users depicted her father. "For me, many of the AI depictions never rose to the level of free speech. They were foolishness," she wrote in a post on X. The younger King added that King Jr. was not an elected official and his image isn't public domain. She noted that many states allow estates of deceased people to inherit and control a person's likeness and how it's used for up to 100 years after their death to avoid unauthorized commercial exploitation. The Sora 2 app was released late last month and has already caused controversy for its uncanny ability to create realistic videos generated by AI. Last week, Creative Artists Agency, which represents actors like Scarlett Johansson and Brad Pitt, as well as United Talent Agency which represents Ben Stiller and Kevin Hart, opted their clients out of Sora 2, with scathing statements. United Talent Agency called the app "exploitation, not innovation," while Creative Artists Agency said the app "exposes our clients and their intellectual property to significant risk," according to The Hollywood Reporter. Some celebrities, though, have given OpenAI the go-ahead to have their image manipulated in AI-generated videos on Sora 2. An AI clone of Influencer and boxer Jake Paul has been featured being confronted by police over a fake hit-and-run, causing a scene on an airplane, and putting on colorful makeup. Paul, for his part, has seemingly embraced the new crop of AI-generated videos. He reportedly posted an AI video of him having a meltdown at Starbucks to his personal Instagram Story. The caption: "Surprised someone got this on camera this morning -- what happened to privacy?"

OpenAI barred from generating videos of Martin Luther King

OpenAI has been barred from generating videos of Martin Luther King Jr after its artificial intelligence (AI) app Sora was used to create crude and "disrespectful" clips of the civil rights leader. The Silicon Valley lab said it had "paused generations" of videos featuring the likeness of Dr King following an intervention by his family's estate, including his daughter Bernice King. It added that it would strengthen its "guardrails for historical figures". OpenAI said: "Some users generated disrespectful depictions of Dr King's image. So at King, Inc's request, OpenAI has paused generations depicting Dr King. "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. "Authorised representatives or estate owners can request that their likeness not be used in Sora cameos." The block came after Sora, which allows users to generate lifelike AI videos using text prompts, was flooded with clips of the deceased despite anger from their families. According to the Washington Post, videos on Sora included clips of Dr King appearing to make monkey noises and fighting with Malcolm X, another civil rights leader. Other videos of deceased celebrities - seen by The Telegraph - included clips of the singer Amy Winehouse, who died in 2011, and videos of Stephen Hawking, the late physicist, performing stunts in his wheelchair. Users also created videos of the late comic actor Robin Williams despite his daughter, Zelda, issuing a plea: "Please, just stop sending me AI videos of Dad." OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, launched Sora last month. The AI video tool quickly surged to the top of app store charts, with users creating clips featuring characters from history or from popular cartoons such as Pokémon and South Park. However, it has already received criticism from movie studios and creators who have argued the app is exploiting copyrighted content. The Motion Picture Association - which represents media giants including Universal Studios, Disney and Sony - demanded OpenAI "take immediate and decisive action" to stop alleged copyright violations. Warner Bros, meanwhile, said: "We met with OpenAI to express our concerns about their approach to IP protection on Sora 2." Sam Altman, OpenAI's chief executive, has sought to counter the criticism. Sora has since started blocking more copyrighted characters and said rights holders can now "opt in" if they want their creations to appear on the AI app and enable "granular control" over the videos.

OpenAI stops itself from generating 'disrespectful' Martin Luther King Jr. deepfakes, but this is the tip of the iceberg: 'Who gets protection from synthetic resurrection and who doesn't?'

"King's estate rightfully raised this with OpenAI, but many deceased individuals don't have well-known and well-resourced estates to represent them." OpenAI has said it will stop its AI video-generating app Sora from creating videos featuring the likeness of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., after receiving a request from his estate. The minister and civil rights leader, who was assassinated in April 1968, was known in his lifetime for his advocacy of nonviolent resistance, civil disobedience, and sonorous eloquence. Sora has been used to produce videos featuring Dr. King's likeness delivering the "I have a dream" speech while making monkey noises; another video shows him fighting his contemporary and fellow activist Malcolm X. OpenAI has admitted this sort of stuff amounts to "disrespectful depictions", which is putting it mildly, and says it's stopped users being able to generate videos featuring Dr. King's likeness "as it strengthens guardrails for historical figures." Dr. King is far from the only historical figure to have been reanimated in oft-tasteless fashion. There are videos of JFK's likeness joking about the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk; one showing Kobe Bryant's likeness on a helicopter with the implication this is from the 2020 crash that killed him, his daughter, and seven others; yet more show Malcolm X's likeness making crude jokes and discussing defecating on himself. "It is deeply disrespectful and hurtful to see my father's image used in such a cavalier and insensitive manner when he dedicated his life to truth," Malcolm X's daughter Ilyasah Shabazz told the Washington Post. Earlier this month Zelda Williams, daughter of the late Robin Williams, excoriated the AI 'tributes' to her dad (which are less obviously grim than the above, but still): "You're making disgusting, over-processed hotdogs out of the lives of human beings [...] You are taking in the Human Centipede of content, and from the very very end of the line." One comment on Variety's Instagram story about the above came from Bernice A. King, the daughter of Dr King, who said: "I concur concerning my father. Please stop." OpenAI's approach to what any fool could have seen might prove a major problem has been, as in every other area, to just go ahead and do it anyway, regardless of copyrights or anything as airy-fairy as human decency. Then when the obvious starts happening, no problem: in our grand benevolence, we will consider requests for an opt-out. I wonder if OpenAI could opt-out of a lawsuit brought by a recently deceased celebrity's family after seeing fake footage from their loved ones' fatal accident generated by Sora. OpenAI's statement on the Dr King matter, unbelievably, goes straight-in on a free speech argument for generating false footage of historical figures doing things they didn't. "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," said OpenAI's statement. "Authorized representatives or estate owners can request that their likeness not be used in Sora cameos." How good of them! OpenAI even thanks the AI Ethics Council "for creating space for conversations like this," which I guess is a little bit more diplomatic than "the rest of you can take a hike." This whole deal "raises questions about who gets protection from synthetic resurrection and who doesn't," generative AI expert Henry Ajder told the BBC. "King's estate rightfully raised this with OpenAI, but many deceased individuals don't have well-known and well-resourced estates to represent them. "Ultimately I think we want to avoid a situation where, unless we're very famous, society accepts that after we die there is a free-for-all over how we continue to be represented." Others are far less diplomatic in their language and, who knows, may have a point. In response to OpenAI's statement on the "pause" around Dr King, screenwriter and producer Alex Hirsch replied: "So your business model is to dig up celebrities' corpses, and let users Weekend-At-Bernies their bodies around until their families beg you to stop? What the fuck happened to curing cancer?"

OpenAI blocks Sora 2 users from using MLK Jr.'s likeness after "disrespectful depictions"

Mary Cunningham is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. Before joining the business and finance vertical, she worked at "60 Minutes," CBSNews.com and CBS News 24/7 as part of the CBS News Associate Program. OpenAI is temporarily blocking users of its Sora 2 AI video app from making content that includes Martin Luther King Jr.'s likeness after some people created what the technology company called "disrespectful depictions" of the civil rights activist. OpenAI, the company behind generative-AI platform ChatGPT, said late Thursday on social media that it made the decision after Bernice A. King, the youngest child of King, contacted the company on behalf of his estate. At the estate's request, "OpenAI has paused generations depicting Dr. King as it strengthens guardrails for historical figures," OpenAI and King Estate Inc. said in a joint statement posted on X. OpenAI did not immediately respond to CBS News' request for comment. The King Center, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., declined additional comment. The tech company launched Sora 2 in September, an AI video generation app that allows users to create hyperrealistic and fantastical content with "cameos" of themselves, friends and others who grant permission. It quickly jumped to the top of Apple's app store. Users can control the use of their own likeness on Sora 2. OpenAI, however, has not specified its policy on generating videos with images of deceased people. The company said Thursday that authorized representatives and estate owners can request that a public figure's likeness not be used in Sora 2 videos. "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," OpenAI and King's estate said. Sora 2 has also stirred controversy after content creators generated a flood of video clips that included copyrighted characters, such as animated TV character SpongeBob Squarepants and Mario from the Nintendo video game. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman addressed the issue in a blog post earlier this month, noting that the company will give copyrights owners "more granular control over generation of characters."

OpenAI halts depictions of MLK after 'disrespectful' videos

(Bloomberg) -- OpenAI has paused depictions of Martin Luther King Jr. after users generated "disrespectful" deepfake videos of the civil rights leader using its artificial intelligence tool Sora. "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 in a statement posted to X. OpenAI said it took action following complaints from King's estate. "Some users generated disrespectful depictions of Dr. King's image," the company said. One fake video posted beneath OpenAI's statement depicts King swearing during the famed "I have a dream" speech and complaining about beeping from smoke alarm detectors. Other high-profile figures and their representatives will be able to opt out of appearing in Sora videos, OpenAI added. A representative for OpenAI declined to comment further. King's estate did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The policy change marks a more cautious tone from OpenAI after a fairly freewheeling approach to depictions of famous figures and intellectual property. The company released Sora, which generates realistic-looking video in response to text prompts, last year. The release opened a new frontier in AI creativity, but also provoked concerns about misinformation and AI slop. In September, it debuted a stand-alone social app for sharing Sora videos. Zelda Williams, daughter of actor Robin Williams, has publicly complained about fans sending her AI-generated videos of her late father, describing the material as "TikTok slop" in an Instagram post earlier this month. Bernice King, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s daughter, commented "I concur" on reports of Zelda Williams' remarks on X. Last year, OpenAI withdrew an AI voice called "Sky" from its offering after actress Scarlett Johansson complained that it was "eerily similar" to her own. She had previously declined a request from the company's Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman to provide her voice for the audio feature. (Updates with OpenAI's response and Bernice King's remarks from sixth paragraph.) More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

Sora won't generate videos of Martin Luther King Jr.

The move follows reports of "disrespectful depictions" of the civil rights leader circulating on social media. OpenAI has paused the ability for users of its AI model, Sora, to generate videos resembling Martin Luther King Jr. The company announced the safeguard following a request from Dr. King's estate due to disrespectful depictions of his image. The action was taken after some users on the social video platform created what were described as "disrespectful depictions" of the late civil rights activist. OpenAI launched Sora just weeks prior, enabling users to create realistic AI-generated videos. The platform allows for the depiction of historical figures, friends, and other users who consent to having their likeness recreated. Its release has prompted a widespread public debate concerning the potential dangers of AI-generated video content and the necessity for platforms to implement effective guardrails around the technology. In a post from its official newsroom account on X, OpenAI addressed the decision. "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 stated. OpenAI also clarified its policy, noting, "Authorized representatives or estate owners can request that their likeness not be used in Sora cameos." The company's restriction followed public statements from the families of prominent figures. Dr. Bernice King, daughter of Dr. King, posted on Instagram last week asking individuals to stop sending her AI videos that resembled her father. Her request came after the daughter of Robin Williams made a similar appeal, asking Sora users to cease generating AI videos of her late father. A report from The Washington Post earlier this week detailed specific instances of AI-generated videos on the platform, including one showing Dr. King making monkey noises and another depicting him wrestling with fellow civil rights leader Malcolm X. The Sora app also features crude videos resembling other historical figures, such as artist Bob Ross, singer Whitney Houston, and former U.S. President John F. Kennedy. The launch of Sora has also introduced questions about how social media platforms should manage AI-generated videos that feature copyrighted material. The application contains numerous videos depicting well-known cartoon characters, including SpongeBob, South Park, and Pokémon.

OpenAI Is Prohibiting Sora Users From Generating Videos of Martin Luther King Jr., Other Public Figures

Now, after "disrespectful depictions" of King's likeness began emerging on OpenAI's popular AI video generation app, users will no longer be able to create videos of the late civil rights leader at the request of his estate, OpenAI announced on Thursday. "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," OpenAI said in a post on X that has been viewed over one million times. OpenAI added that other "authorized representatives or estate owners can request that their likeness not be used in Sora cameos." OpenAI imposed this restriction on AI video output weeks after launching its Sora social video platform, which allows users to generate realistic AI videos of historical figures, their friends, and their own likeness. One Sora video viewed by The Guardian featured King telling a gas station clerk about his dream that one day, all slushy drinks will be free -- as he grabs the drink and runs out. Another Sora clip depicts King wrestling with fellow civil rights activist Malcolm X. Videos have also emerged with President John F. Kennedy and Whitney Houston, according to TechCrunch. Earlier this month, Zelda Williams also asked people to stop generating AI videos of her father, Robin Williams. Related: I Tried Airchat, the Hottest New Social Media App in Silicon Valley -- Here's How It Works The app debuted on Sept. 30 in the U.S. and Canada and hit one million downloads in five days, despite being invitation-only, achieving the milestone faster than ChatGPT. It became the most-downloaded iPhone app in the U.S. and is still the top free app on the Apple App Store at the time of writing. Despite its popularity, the app has resulted in concerns about misinformation and AI slop, or low-quality AI content flooding the web, per Bloomberg. It has also raised questions about how social media platforms should process AI videos of copyrighted material, like SpongeBob and Pokémon. Sora users are already generating videos of the famous cartoons. Meanwhile, in the weeks since its launch, OpenAI has added restrictions to Sora by giving copyright holders more control over what kinds of videos can be created with their intellectual property, if any at all. OpenAI also noted that it was exploring ways to monetize AI video generation and planned to share some of this revenue with copyright holders.

OpenAI pauses video generations of Martin Luther King Jr after 'disrespectful depictions' - The Economic Times

Artificial intelligence (AI) major OpenAI said users will not be able to use the likeness of Martin Luther King Jr when generating videos with its model, Sora. The action followed objections raised by his estate over crude representations of the late US civil rights activist on the platform. OpenAI said in a social media post on Friday the action taken at King, Inc.'s request is to strengthen guardrails for depiction of historical figures. "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. Authorized representatives or estate owners can request that their likeness not be used in Sora cameos," the AI company stated. The development comes days after OpenAI launched the second version of Sora, which has quickly gained traction since its launch last month, as an AI social video platform. The platform, currently operating on an invite-only basis, allows users to create realistic AI videos featuring their friends, individuals willing to have their likeness recreated, or historical figures. The issue blew up after some users created videos featuring King's likeness with racial overtones and wrestling with another prominent civil rights activist, Malcolm X. In an Instagram post last week, Bernice King, the civil rights activist's daughter, urged people to stop sending her AI generated videos of her father. She joined Zelda Williams, comic actor Robin Willams' daughter, who had made a similar request. OpenAI founder Sam Altman said earlier this month the company would introduce controls allowing owners "more granular control" over content rights to dictate how their characters are used in Sora. He also shared plans to share revenue with those who permit such use. OpenAI is looking at introducing more safeguards for Sora even as it plans to relax rules for its popular AI chatbot, ChatGPT. The company said it would allow erotica on the platform for verified adults. The company said it would prioritise the safety of minors and focus on mental health safeguards even as it loosened restrictions. Also Read: Erotica on ChatGPT meant to allow more user freedom: Sam Altman

OpenAI Pauses Video Generations Depicting MLK Jr On Sora

OpenAI's decision to restrict the recreation of MLK Jr's likeness sets a precedent for the protection of the personality rights of deceased public figures. Such action is particularly important when we consider that AI tools have made it ridiculously easy to puppeteer historical figures into saying or doing almost anything. For context, when users can generate videos of Martin Luther King Jr. making monkey noises during his watershed 'I Have a Dream' speech, one has to wonder what is going to stop someone from creating entirely revisionist historical content through AI. In India, the judiciary treating personality rights as purely personal and non-transferable made sense in a pre-AI era: as at that time, most unauthorised uses were limited to films or commercial endorsements which required significant resources. However, the present-day AI technology has democratised the ability to create convincing deepfakes, making posthumous exploitation both easier and more harmful. OpenAI has paused Sora visual generations depicting Martin Luther King Junior's (MLK Jr) likeness, on MLK Jr's estate's request. This comes after reports of Sora users generating disrespectful recreations of MLK's likeness, including showing him making monkey noises during his famous 'I Have a Dream' speech, according to a report by the Washington Post. This article mentions many other disrespectful depictions of deceased public figures, including actor Robin Williams, activist Malcolm X, and painter Bob Ross. In some cases, such as those of MLK Jr and Williams, their children have posted on Instagram, urging people not to send them AI-generated videos of their fathers. "To watch the legacies of real people be condensed down to 'this vaguely looks and sounds like them so that's enough', just so people can churn out horrible TikTok slop, puppeteering them is maddening," Williams' daughter said in an Instagram story. Besides restricting the recreation of MLK Jr's likeness, OpenAI says that it is strengthening guardrails for historical figures. "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 said in a statement. Importantly, it mentioned that authorised representatives and estate owners can request the AI company to prevent Sora from using their likeness. With AI video and image generation tools allowing people to generate the likeness of celebrities, concerns around deepfakes and personality rights protection have skyrocketed. Many Indian celebrities, including Arijit Singh, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Karan Johar, and Jackie Shroff, have secured legal protections for their personality rights by approaching the judiciary. However with deceased individuals, the question of personality rights becomes a bit trickier, as courts have denied the transfer of rights of privacy, reputation, and personality. For instance, in 2021, the Madras High Court (HC) held that the right to privacy, and the reputation earned by a person during their lifetime extinguish after death. This came in the context of a case filed by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister (CM) J. Jayalalithaa's niece J. Deepa to prevent the release of a film based on Jayalalithaa's life. "After the death of a person, the reputation earned cannot be inherited like a movable or immovable property by his or her legal heirs. Such personality right, reputation or privacy enjoyed by a person during his lifetime comes to an end after his or her lifetime," the Madras HC noted. Similarly, in 2023, actor Sushant Singh Rajput's father filed an application with the Delhi HC looking to protect the late actor's personality rights against unauthorised use in a film depicting his life and the events leading up to his death. The court rejected the application, coming to the same conclusion as the Madras HC. And while these rights do not get passed down to heirs, if one shows that these rights are commercial in nature or have all the trappings of a trademark, courts may protect them from commercial exploitation, according to a blog post by law firm Anand and Anand. The law firm cited the Delhi HC's decision in February 2025 against the misuse of Ratan Tata's name, his company's logo, and his photograph. In this case, the court had said that Tata's name is a well-known personal name/mark, which needs protection from any unauthorised use. While Indian courts did not uphold the transferability of personality rights of the deceased with respect to the Jayalalithaa and Rajput cases, other jurisdictions are thinking differently about the subject. The US government is considering specific laws that seek to protect the rights of the deceased against AI replicas. In the US, a group of senators has proposed the "Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act", better known as the NO FAKES Act. This legislation gives people the right to authorise the use of their voice or visual likeness in a digital replica through a written license agreement. Notably, this right does not end with a person's death. Instead, the law proposes to pass this right on to a particular person's executors/heirs/licensees. The law allows for transfer of the right to a person's likeness through any legal means or through inheritance as personal property by the applicable laws of intestate succession (succession when the dead person has not left behind any will). And in case a deceased person licenses their rights before death, the license holder can hold onto these rights for 10 years after the person's death, with the scope for extension for five-year increments.

OpenAI's video tool 'pauses' MLK Jr. depictions after family rips...

OpenAI is clamping down on deepfake videos of Martin Luther King Jr. on its video tool Sora 2 after his family complained about "disrespectful depictions" of the iconic leader. "Some users generated disrespectful depictions of Dr. King's image," the company said Thursday in a joint statement with the King Estate on social media. "So at King, Inc.'s request, OpenAI has paused generations depicting Dr. King as it strengthens guardrails for historical figures." The company said "strong free speech interests" are a concern, but ultimately, public figures and their family should have control over the use of their likenesses. It added that representatives and estate owners can contact OpenAI to request their images not be used in AI-generated videos. Bernice A. King, the late civil rights leader's youngest daughter, contacted OpenAI about taking down the deepfake videos, according to the statement. Sora 2 - a text-to-video AI app created by Sam Altman's OpenAI - launched late last month. The app's capacity to instantly create lifelike videos has sparked backlash from critics who warn there aren't enough safety barriers in place. The app has been used to create mocking, cruel videos of deceased celebrities long after their deaths. Some clips show physicist Stephen Hawking, who died in 2018, being hoisted by a forklift into the air and then knocked to the ground by WWE wrestlers. Others depict Elvis Presley, who died in 1977, stumbling and collapsing off the stage in a fake video of his final performance. The late comedian Robin Williams' daughter, Zelda Williams, has spoken out about "disturbing" images, audio and video clips made of her deceased father's likeness with AI. "I've witnessed for YEARS how many people want to train these models to create/recreate actors who cannot consent, like Dad. This isn't theoretical, it is very very real," she wrote in an Instagram post earlier this month. "I've already heard AI used to get his 'voice' to say whatever people want and while I find it personally disturbing, the ramifications go far beyond my own feelings. Living actors deserve a chance to create characters with their choices, to voice cartoons, to put their HUMAN effort and time into the pursuit of performance." Hollywood unions and talent agencies have taken aim at OpenAI over its lack of safety guardrails for actors, as well as its creation of a so-called AI actress, Tilly Norwood. "The world must be reminded that what moves us isn't synthetic. It's human," SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin and National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said in a joint statement this month. They slammed tech firms for creating "a sensationalized narrative, designed to manipulate the public and make space for continued exploitation." Actor Scarlett Johansson has accused OpenAI of releasing an AI chatbot with a voice that sounded "eerily similar to mine" - even after she declined to license her voice for a virtual assistant. Over the weekend, Tom Hanks warned there is an AI-generated video of his likeness circulating promoting "some dental plan" that he has "nothing to do with."