Key Points
- Hollywood’s top talent agencies are blasting OpenAI’s new AI video app, Sora.
- They say the app poses “significant risks” to their clients and intellectual property.
- The agencies are furious that the app uses copyrighted characters and likenesses without permission.
- CAA accused OpenAI of trying to “just steal” creative work.
Hollywood’s biggest talent agencies are coming out swinging against OpenAI’s new AI video creation app, Sora. The Creative Artists Agency (CAA), which represents A-list stars like Tom Hanks and Scarlett Johansson, slammed the app on Thursday, saying it poses “significant risks” to their clients and intellectual property.
The core of the issue is that Sora allows users to create AI-generated videos, often featuring popular characters and brands, without permission. In a scathing statement, CAA questioned whether OpenAI believes it can “just steal” copyrighted work, disregarding global copyright principles and blatantly dismissing creators’ rights.”
Sora, which has already been downloaded a million times since its launch last week, initially used an “opt-out” system, meaning it would use copyrighted material unless the owners specifically asked it not to. While OpenAI’s CEO has since promised to give rightsholders more control, the damage has been done.
CAA is not alone. Rival agencies WME and UTA have also blasted the app. WME has reportedly told OpenAI to opt all of its clients out of the system, and UTA called the app “exploitation, not innovation.” Disney has also sent a letter to OpenAI, stating that it does not authorize the use of its characters and has no obligation to “opt out” to protect its rights.
The backlash from Hollywood is a major test for OpenAI and the booming field of generative AI, which is facing a growing wave of copyright concerns from the creative industries.
