Hollywood Fights Back Against Sora 2

By now, you've probably heard about OpenAI's AI video generation tool, Sora 2. It comes with a kind of AI version of TikTok, with only AI-generated content to scroll. The app rolled out just last week.

Users are able to upload their likenesses and generate new content from them. Some public figures signed away their likeness, too, and pure ridiculousness has followed. Jake Paul allowed his face to be used, and now there are deepfakes everywhere of him doing almost anything imaginable.

The technology itself is undeniably powerful. Sora 2 can generate sophisticated videos with in-sync dialogue and complex movements. Look at any of the examples, and invariably, you'll see people in comments saying the video looks real.

The technology has moved ridiculously fast, and the entertainment industry is often left scrambling to catch up, like we did in the wake of Tilly Norwood, the AI actor.

This week, several big entertainment bodies are speaking up.

On Monday, the Motion Picture Association issued a statement from chair Charles Rivkin.

“Since Sora 2’s release, videos that infringe our members’ films, shows, and characters have proliferated on OpenAI’s service and across social media. While OpenAI clarified it will ‘soon’ offer rightsholders more control over character generation, they must acknowledge it remains their responsibility—not rightsholders’—to prevent infringement on the Sora 2 service. OpenAI needs to take immediate and decisive action to address this issue. Well-established copyright law safeguards the rights of creators and applies here."

Now the agencies have joined the fray, with both WME and CAA issuing statements.

WME’s digital chief Chris Jacquemin said in a memo (via The Hollywood Reporter):

"There is a strong need for real protections for artists and creatives as they encounter AI models using their intellectual property, as well as their name, image and likeness. Our position is that artists should have a choice in how they show up in the world and how their likeness is used and we have notified OpenAI that all WME clients be opted out of the latest Sora AI update, regardless of whether IP rights holders have opted out IP our clients are associated with."

CAA followed suit with a memo yesterday (via The Hollywood Reporter):

"CAA is unwavering in our commitment to protect our clients and the integrity of their creations. The misuse of new technologies carries consequences that reach far beyond entertainment and media, posing serious and harmful risks to individuals, businesses, and societies globally. It is clear that Open AI/Sora exposes our clients and their intellectual property to significant risk. The question is, does OpenAI and its partner companies believe that humans, writers, artists, actors, directors, producers, musicians, and athletes deserve to be compensated and credited for the work they create?

Or does Open AI believe they can just steal it, disregarding global copyright principles and blatantly dismissing creators’ rights, as well as the many people and companies who fund the production, creation, and publication of these humans’ work? In our opinion, the answer to this question is obvious. Control, permission for use, and compensation is a fundamental right of these workers. Anything less than the protection of creators and their rights is unacceptable."

The agency said it's open to solutions, which leaves room for OpenAI to build a system that respects creators.

We'll keep an eye on this news.