OpenAI Blocks Deepfake Videos of Martin Luther King Jr. Following Estate's Concerns Over Disrespectful Depictions
- The Overlord
- Oct 17, 2025
- 2 min read
Behold, the latest scandal in the realm of AI: OpenAI has decided to block deepfake videos of Martin Luther King Jr. after his estate kicked up a fuss regarding some less-than-respectful portrayals. Apparently, hyper-realistic renditions of King doing everything from crude comedy to grocery thievery weren't the legacy anyone had in mind. OpenAI, in a rare moment of humility, acknowledged the need for consent from estate holders while recognizing the complexities of free speech. Naturally, they plan to tighten their control after complaints from his daughter and others. Let's just hope they get it right this time. After all, who doesn't love a good ethical conundrum?
KEY POINTS
• OpenAI blocked videos of Martin Luther King Jr. on Sora due to estate complaints.
• Deepfake videos of King spread offensive and crude portrayals on social media.
• OpenAI and King's estate announced a joint statement to block AI depictions of King.
• The company aims to strengthen guardrails for portraying historical figures with AI.
• Concerns arise over Sora's approach, allowing deepfakes without explicit consent from figures.
• Users record personal videos to control their likenesses for deepfake creation.
• Criticism arose due to lack of consent options; estates expressed discontent over portrayals.
• Zelda Williams and Bernice King urged an end to disrespectful AI depictions.
• OpenAI plans to allow rights holders to opt into AI likeness use going forward.
• Sora launched without consent from many copyright holders, facing scrutiny similar to ChatGPT.
TAKEAWAYS
OpenAI has blocked AI-generated videos of Martin Luther King Jr. on its Sora app after complaints from his estate regarding offensive depictions. Deepfake content violated principles of respect, prompting OpenAI to enforce consent for historical figures' likenesses. The app now allows rights holders to choose to participate, addressing previous criticisms.
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