Sora 2's AI-Generated Videos of Deceased Celebrities Spark Controversy and Policy Changes

Reviewed byNidhi Govil

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OpenAI's Sora 2 video generator faces backlash for allowing the creation of AI videos featuring deceased celebrities, leading to policy changes and ethical debates.

Sora 2's Controversial AI-Generated Videos

OpenAI's Sora 2, a sophisticated AI video generator, has sparked considerable debate for enabling the creation of realistic videos depicting deceased celebrities. Initially, the platform permitted content featuring historical figures and late celebrities, despite prohibiting the use of living public figures without explicit consent

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Source: Futurism

Source: Futurism

Ethical Concerns and Family Distress

The rise of these AI-generated videos has triggered significant ethical concerns. Zelda Williams, daughter of the late Robin Williams, publicly voiced her distress, urging users to cease creating and sharing AI content featuring her father. This sentiment reflects a wider anxiety regarding the unauthorized use of deceased public figures' likenesses and the potential repercussions on their established legacies .

Source: New York Post

Source: New York Post

Legal Landscape and OpenAI's Response

Recreating deceased celebrities with AI navigates a complex legal terrain. While libel laws generally don't apply to the deceased, the right of publicity for late public figures varies by jurisdiction. For instance, California law restricts the unauthorized commercial use of a public figure's likeness post-mortem, though it allows "transformative" applications under First Amendment protections

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. In response to the growing criticism, OpenAI has revised its policies. The company now permits families or estates of "recently deceased" public figures to request the removal of their likenesses from the platform

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. However, the precise definition of "recently deceased" remains undefined, raising questions about the policy's scope.

Source: IGN

Source: IGN

Broader Industry Implications

The Sora 2 controversy underscores the significant challenges emerging for the entertainment industry with advancing AI technology. The recent SAG-AFTRA strike, which secured union members control over digital replicas in future productions, highlights the increasing importance of likeness rights in the AI era

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. This incident acts as a catalyst for deeper discussions on establishing clearer regulations and ethical frameworks for AI-generated content

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