OpenAI Suspends AI-Generated Videos of Martin Luther King Jr. on Sora App Amidst Criticism
OpenAI has temporarily halted the creation of AI-generated videos of Martin Luther King Jr. on its Sora app, following a wave of criticism from the civil rights leader’s estate. This move comes in the wake of disturbing deepfake videos of King, which surfaced on social media soon after Sora’s launch three weeks ago.
These videos depicted King in crude and offensive scenarios, including false footage of him stealing from stores and perpetuating racial stereotypes. This controversy underscores the wider challenges that AI companies face as they roll out increasingly sophisticated tools without sufficient safeguards.
OpenAI and the Estate of Martin Luther King Jr. issued a joint statement announcing the pause as the company works on “strengthening guardrails for historical figures.” The company stated, “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.”
This decision follows similar complaints from families of other deceased celebrities, including:
- Robin Williams’ daughter, Zelda Williams
- Malcolm X’s daughter, Ilyasah Shabazz
The incident highlights Silicon Valley’s “move fast and break things” approach to AI deployment, where ethical concerns are often addressed only after public backlash. Hollywood studios and talent agencies have also criticized OpenAI for launching Sora without obtaining proper consent from copyright holders.