OpenAI Reins in Sora App's Use of Copyrighted Characters

In a recent update, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has announced changes to the company's Sora AI video app in an effort to address concerns from entertainment companies and other rightsholders. The app, which has been generating a flood of content featuring recognizable characters and intellectual property, has enraged some Hollywood executives, with lawsuits likely to follow.

To address these issues, OpenAI will now give rightsholders more granular control over the generation of characters, similar to the opt-in model used for individual likenesses. The company is also exploring a revenue-sharing model that would allow rightsholders to monetize the user-generated content featuring their characters or IP.

Altman acknowledged that the Sora app has been generating much more content than expected, with a lot of videos being created for small audiences. The company plans to start sharing some of this revenue with rightsholders who want their characters used in the app. The exact model for this revenue-sharing arrangement will be determined through trial and error.

These changes come as OpenAI seeks to strike a balance between the creative potential of its AI technology and the concerns of entertainment companies and other intellectual property owners. The company is aiming to find a way to allow for "interactive fan fiction" while also respecting the rights of those who hold the rights to the characters and stories being used.