OpenAI suspends AI-generated videos of Martin Luther King Jr. after family raises ethical concerns
San Franciso/ Atlanta: OpenAI has temporarily halted the creation of AI-generated videos featuring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on its new video platform, Sora, after reports of offensive and inappropriate depictions of the civil rights leader surfaced online. The decision follows a formal request from King’s estate, amid growing concerns about the ethical limits of generative AI.
The company confirmed the move in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “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.”
The statement further acknowledged that while there are “strong free speech interests in depicting historical figures,” the company believes “public figures and their families should ultimately have control over how their likeness is used.” OpenAI added that authorised representatives or estate holders can now request that their likeness not be used in Sora-generated content.
The controversy erupted after disturbing user-created videos emerged showing AI versions of Dr. King making animal noises or engaging in fictionalised altercations with other historical figures, including Malcolm X. According to a report byThe Washington Post, these clips were widely circulated on the Sora platform, drawing outrage and renewing calls for stricter content moderation.
Dr. King’s daughter, Bernice King, publicly urged users to stop sharing such content, writing on Instagram that AI recreations of her father were not only disrespectful but harmful. Her comments came shortly after Robin Williams’ daughter made similar appeals over unauthorised AI-generated versions of her late father.
Sora, OpenAI’s recently launched experimental social video tool, allows users to generate hyper-realistic video clips featuring historical figures, celebrities, or fictional characters. While the platform has attracted significant attention for its technological innovation, it has also been at the centre of ethical debates, particularly over the use of deepfakes and unauthorised recreations.
In addition to Dr. King, the Sora platform’s growing library has featured AI-generated portrayals of public figures such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Bob Ross, and John F. Kennedy, as well as unlicensed recreations of fictional characters from franchises like SpongeBob SquarePants and Pokémon.
OpenAI said it is now working on giving more control to copyright holders and public figure estates, allowing them to opt out of likeness use on the platform. Earlier this month, the company announced it would introduce new safeguards aimed at protecting artists, filmmakers, and public personalities from unauthorised or offensive portrayals.
“OpenAI thanks Dr. Bernice A. King for reaching out on behalf of King, Inc., and John Hope Bryant and the AI Ethics Council for creating space for conversations like this,” the company added.
While OpenAI tightens content restrictions on Sora, it is reportedly easing moderation in other areas. The company recently announced plans to allow adult users to engage in “erotic” conversations with ChatGPT, raising further questions about how the tech firm balances freedom of expression with ethical responsibility across its suite of AI products.