Story perspectives

OpenAI's Sora 2 Faces Backlash Over Deceased Figures

10/14/2025

Summary

Sora 2 Controversy

OpenAI's Sora 2 faces backlash for creating hyper-realistic videos of deceased public figures, including Malcolm X and Robin Williams.
Families such as Ilyasah Shabazz and Zelda Williams condemn the app as disrespectful and hurtful.
The posthumous use of likenesses remains unclear, with protections varying by state.
OpenAI allows representatives of recently deceased public figures to request removal of their likenesses, highlighting ongoing ethical questions about consent and legacies in AI.

Summary

Ohanian and Altman Warn

Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman described the Dead Internet Theory, saying artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content now outpaces human-created material online.
Ohanian cited an AI-generated cat story that misled users, underscoring the prevalence of bots.
Experts who were skeptical before now acknowledge the theory's validity as AI use rises.
In 2024, research indicates more than 51% of internet traffic was bot-generated.

History

Historical Context

Established in 1977, the Right of Publicity allows individuals to control the commercial use of their likenesses, leading to significant legal cases, such as those involving Marilyn Monroe, where damages exceeded $1 million. The recent backlash against OpenAI's Sora 2 for using deceased figures like Malcolm X underscores ongoing ethical concerns regarding consent and the implications for privacy rights in the age of AI-generated content.

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Sora 2 Controversy

OpenAI's Sora 2 faces backlash for creating hyper-realistic videos of deceased public figures, including Malcolm X and Robin Williams.
Families such as Ilyasah Shabazz and Zelda Williams condemn the app as disrespectful and hurtful.
The posthumous use of likenesses remains unclear, with protections varying by state.
OpenAI allows representatives of recently deceased public figures to request removal of their likenesses, highlighting ongoing ethical questions about consent and legacies in AI.

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