OpenAI's Sora 2 must stop allowing copyright infringement, Motion Picture Association says

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has called on OpenAI to take swift and decisive measures regarding its newly launched video creation tool, Sora 2. The MPA claims that the platform is facilitating the production of content that infringes on copyrighted material. After the Sora app was introduced last week, users quickly began generating AI-driven clips that feature characters from well-known shows and brands. MPA CEO Charles Rivkin expressed concerns in a statement, noting, "Since the launch of Sora 2, there has been a surge in videos violating our members' copyrights, including films, shows, and characters, on OpenAI's service and social media platforms." In response, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman assured users via a blog post that the company intends to provide copyright holders with "more granular control" over the usage of their characters. Despite this, Rivkin emphasized that it is OpenAI's duty—not that of the rightsholders—to prevent copyright violations on the Sora 2 service. He further reiterated that established copyright laws are in place to protect creators' rights and should be strictly enforced. The concerns arose rapidly after the release of Sora, with users creating imaginative scenarios such as James Bond playing poker with Altman and cartoon character Mario depicted in a police chase. Previously, OpenAI operated on an opt-out system, placing the onus on studios to request that their characters be excluded from Sora. However, Altman’s recent remarks suggested a shift to an opt-in model, indicating that Sora will no longer allow the use of copyrighted characters without explicit permission. Nonetheless, Altman acknowledged the challenges ahead, stating, "There may be edge cases where generated content slips through that shouldn't, and it will take some time to refine our systems." As generative AI technology continues to evolve, copyright concerns have become increasingly pronounced. Recent lawsuits highlight this trend, including Disney and Universal’s legal action against AI image generator Midjourney for using and distributing AI-created characters from their films without authorization, as well as a cease-and-desist letter sent by Disney to AI startup Character.AI. The unfolding situation with Sora 2 underscores the crucial need for clear guidelines and accountability in the rapidly advancing field of generative AI.