Hollywood agencies criticise OpenAI’s Sora for exploitation

In Short:
– Top talent agencies, including CAA and UTA, oppose OpenAI’s Sora over client rights and copyright risks.
– Disney and others demand immediate action from OpenAI to address copyright infringements related to Sora.

Top Hollywood talent agencies have expressed strong opposition to OpenAI’s new video creation app, Sora. The Creative Artists Agency (CAA) voiced concerns about significant risks to their clients and intellectual property rights.CAA represents high-profile clients such as Doja Cat and Scarlett Johansson. The agency questioned OpenAI’s commitment to compensating creators for their work, suggesting that their practices might ignore global copyright principles.

They stated, “Control, permission for use, and compensation is a fundamental right of these workers.”

United Talent Agency (UTA) echoed similar sentiments, labelling Sora’s actions as “exploitation, not innovation.” UTA reinforced that human talent is irreplaceable and affirmed its commitment to defending its clients’ rights. OpenAI has indicated it will implement measures to limit the generation of well-known characters and enhance control for rightsholders.

Industry Response

The memo from WME instructed agents to ensure that all clients are opted out of the latest Sora updates. Disney also took a firm stance, clarifying it had not granted OpenAI permission to use its copyrighted content.

The Motion Picture Association urged immediate action from OpenAI to address copyright infringements related to Sora.

Concerns over generative AI’s impact on copyright have surged within the entertainment industry.

Major companies like Universal and Disney have already pursued legal action against other AI firms over similar issues, highlighting a growing fear regarding the protection of intellectual property.