OpenAI Halts AI Video Depictions of Martin Luther King Jr.
OpenAI has put a stop to its AI video application, Sora 2, allowing users to create videos featuring Martin Luther King Jr. This decision comes after users created what the company described as “disrespectful depictions” of the civil rights leader.
Some of the videos that surfaced depicted a highly realistic simulation of King engaging in acts such as stealing from a grocery store and fleeing from law enforcement. Bernice A. King, the youngest child of Dr. King, reached out to OpenAI, asking for the removal of any videos using her father’s likeness.
In a joint statement, OpenAI and the King Estate noted, “Some users depicted images of Dr. King in a disrespectful manner. At King’s request, OpenAI has suspended generations depicting Dr. King to strengthen guardrails around historical figures.” The statement, posted on X, also emphasized that while free speech is important regarding depictions of historical figures, it is equally crucial that public figures and their families maintain control over how their images are used.
Launched in September 2025, Sora 2 permits users to generate unique videos. Initially, the app allowed users to depict various celebrities and historical figures, such as Princess Diana and President John F. Kennedy, without seeking permission.
Following a wave of videos involving Robin Williams that appeared on social media, his daughter, Zelda Williams, expressed her concerns in a public post, asking people to refrain from creating videos featuring her father. “Please, stop sending me AI videos of my dad,” she stated, adding, “That’s not what he wants.” She further critiqued the AI phenomenon, stating, “For the love of all things, stop calling it the ‘future.’ AI is just horribly recycling and regurgitating the past.”
Shortly after the launch, OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, announced an update that enables rights holders to decide if their likeness can be used in AI-generated content, rather than automatically allowing it. This follows similar changes made to ChatGPT after it used copyrighted material without permission.
Hollywood studios and various unions have expressed concerns about OpenAI and other AI firms, not only regarding the lack of security measures and unauthorized portrayal of actors but also the potential for AI to replace human talent.
