OpenAI stops users from generating Martin Luther King Jr. videos on its Sora app: Here's why

Martin Luther King Jr

OpenAI has temporarily stopped users from creating AI-generated videos that resemble Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on its new video tool, Sora, after reports surfaced of offensive and disrespectful depictions of the civil rights icon.

The company said the decision came at the request of Dr. King’s estate, following complaints that some users had misused the platform to generate inappropriate videos of him. “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 wrote on X. It added that authorized representatives or estate owners can now ask OpenAI to block the use of their likeness in Sora.

The move follows the recent launch of Sora, OpenAI’s experimental social video platform that allows users to create highly realistic clips of historical figures, celebrities, or even themselves. While the tool has attracted massive attention, it has also sparked concerns about deepfakes, misuse, and the ethical boundaries of AI-generated media.

Dr. King’s daughter, Bernice King, recently urged users on Instagram to stop sharing AI videos that mimic her father. Her post came just after similar complaints from Robin Williams’ daughter, who condemned AI-generated recreations of her late father.

According to The Washington Post, some users on Sora created disturbing videos showing Dr. King making animal noises or engaging in fights with other historical figures like Malcolm X. Such examples have fueled the debate over how far generative AI should go in recreating real people.

The controversy highlights a broader problem with Sora’s growing library, which also features AI versions of Bob Ross, Whitney Houston, and John F. Kennedy, as well as unauthorized recreations of popular cartoons like SpongeBob and Pokémon.

OpenAI says it is now working to give copyright holders and estates more control over how their likenesses and creations are used. Earlier this month, the company promised more granular safeguards for artists, filmmakers, and public figures.

While OpenAI tightens content rules for Sora, it’s loosening others elsewhere. The company recently said it would soon allow adult users to have “erotic” chats with ChatGPT—showing two very different approaches to moderation across its products.