OpenAI has stopped users from creating videos that resemble Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. using its new AI video model, Sora.
The company said the change was made at the request of Dr. King’s estate after some users generated videos that showed the civil rights leader in “disrespectful” ways.
In a post on X, OpenAI explained that while it supports free speech, it also believes public figures and their families should have control over how their likeness is used. The company added that representatives or estate owners can now ask OpenAI to block the use of their likeness in Sora videos.
Statement from OpenAI and King Estate, Inc.
— OpenAI Newsroom (@OpenAINewsroom) October 17, 2025
The Estate of Martin Luther King, Jr., Inc. (King, Inc.) and OpenAI have worked together to address how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s likeness is represented in Sora generations. Some users generated disrespectful depictions of Dr.…
Sora, a social video platform launched recently, allows users to create realistic AI-generated clips featuring themselves, historical figures, or anyone who has permitted their image to be used. However, since its launch, the app has sparked widespread debate about the ethical limits of AI-generated media and how companies should protect people’s images and reputations.
Dr. Bernice King, the daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., had previously asked people to stop sending her AI videos made to look like her father. She joined Robin Williams’ daughter, who also urged users not to create AI recreations of her late father.
According to The Washington Post, some users had made highly offensive Sora videos showing Dr. King making monkey noises and wrestling with Malcolm X. Other clips featuring famous figures like Bob Ross, Whitney Houston, and John F. Kennedy have also been found on the platform.
The company that manages Dr. King’s estate has not yet commented on OpenAI’s decision.
Sora has faced other criticism as well, particularly around the use of copyrighted material. The app’s library includes AI-generated videos of popular cartoon characters like SpongeBob, South Park, and Pokémon, raising further questions about copyright and content moderation.
Earlier this month, OpenAI said it plans to give copyright holders more control over how their content and likenesses are used in Sora videos. That announcement came after negative reactions from Hollywood studios and creators who feared their work could be misused.
At the same time, OpenAI is loosening restrictions in other areas. The company recently said it will soon allow adult users to have erotic conversations with ChatGPT, a move that has drawn mixed reactions.
If this article helped you, please consider supporting our work. Every small contribution keeps Abijita.com independent and running.
The launch of Sora has clearly created new challenges for OpenAI. Even CEO Sam Altman admitted the company felt “trepidation” about releasing it. According to Nick Turley, who leads ChatGPT, OpenAI believes the best way to understand new technology is to release it and learn from real-world use. It appears the company is doing exactly that with Sora—learning, sometimes the hard way, about how people use powerful AI tools.
