Tweet

Tech giant halts Sora’s ability to generate Martin Luther King Jr. videos amid backlash over “disrespectful and misleading” AI depictions.

In a stunning reversal, OpenAI has “paused” the creation of Martin Luther King Jr. videos on its cutting-edge artificial intelligence platform Sora, following a storm of public outrage over what critics called “disrespectful and exploitative” portrayals of the civil-rights icon.

The company, which recently unveiled Sora 2 — a tool that allows users to generate lifelike videos of real and historical figures — faced a fierce backlash after users began producing AI-generated clips of Dr. King in contexts many deemed inappropriate.

“While there are strong free-speech interests in depicting historical figures, OpenAI believes public figures and their families should ultimately have control over how their likeness is used,” the company declared in a statement on X.

The move has reignited fierce debate over AI ethics, digital likeness rights, and the growing threat of misinformation in the age of deepfakes. OpenAI credited Dr. Bernice A. King, John Hope Bryant, and the AI Ethics Council for fostering dialogue on responsible innovation.

As outrage spreads and lawmakers eye tighter AI regulation, the pause signals a pivotal moment in the uneasy relationship between artificial intelligence and human legacy.