OpenAI has recently allowed users to create AI-generated videos featuring historical figures who have passed away, such as Michael Jackson, Stephen Hawking, Isaac Newton, and Queen Elizabeth II. These creations have been widely shared on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels, generating both fascination and controversy.
However, following several offensive instances, the company decided to temporarily suspend videos depicting Martin Luther King Jr. on its platform Sora.
OpenAI Responds to the Family of Martin Luther King Jr.
In a statement released on X, OpenAI confirmed that it had suspended the generation of videos featuring the renowned civil rights leader at the request of his estate.
Statement from OpenAI and King Estate, Inc.
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.…
— OpenAI Newsroom (@OpenAINewsroom) October 17, 2025
The company explained that this decision comes after the dissemination of content deemed disrespectful, with some showing Dr. King in parodic or degrading situations, leading to significant outrage on social media.
“While there is a legitimate interest in depicting historical figures in artistic creations, we believe that families and rights holders should be able to control the use of their likeness,” OpenAI stated in its official announcement.
The company also indicated that legal representatives or families could now request to restrict the use of a personality’s likeness or voice on Sora.
A Growing Debate on Consent and the Ethics of AI Videos
Recently launched, Sora allows users to generate hyper-realistic videos from simple text prompts. However, this technology raises significant ethical and legal questions regarding the right to image and posthumous consent.
Dr. Bernice King, the daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., has urged internet users not to share AI-generated videos of her father, considering these recreations “indecent and disrespectful.” This stance mirrors that of Zelda Williams, the daughter of Robin Williams, who has criticized the use of deepfakes to replicate her late father’s voice and likeness.
Some user-generated videos depicted Martin Luther King engaging in absurd behaviors or confronting Malcolm X, such distortions considered unacceptable.
Toward New Moderation Rules for Sora
In light of the controversy, OpenAI has announced plans to implement new protections to regulate the representations of real people, whether living or deceased. The company intends to establish a rights management system to allow families, rights holders, or licensees to block unauthorized recreations.
Additionally, OpenAI promises to strengthen moderation and transparency on Sora while continuing to develop its video generation tools in a “responsible” manner.
