OpenAI pauses video generation of Martin Luther King Jr on Sora
17 Oct 2025, 12:23 PMWhile guardrails to safeguard the misuse of the image of a person historical or living is vital, the decision will likely have put OpenAI in a tricky spot.
Team Head&Tale
Share the story on
OpenAI said that it has paused generation of videos depicting civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr on its AI video model, Sora, underling concerns of abusing AI tools that could hurt sentiments and distort historical facts
OpenAI's decision came following the request of Dr. King’s estate after some Sora users generated “disrespectful depictions” of Martin Luther King Jr.
"While there are strong free speech interests in depicting historical figures, OpenAI believes public figures and their families should ultimately have control over how their likeness is used," said OpenAI and King Estate, Inc in an X post.
"Authorized representatives or estate owners can request that their likeness not be used in Sora cameos," they added.
While guardrails to safeguard the misuse of the image of a person historical or living is vital, the decision will likely have put OpenAI in a tricky spot as there may be individual requests to prevent the use of more historical figures.
"OpenAI just opened a can of worms... Meaning all the special rules for everyone who ever existed and determining if they are important enough because if everyone submits request how would that be manageable?", one of the users commented on the post.
Who Reads Us
“I enjoy reading The Head and Tale for their coverage on the Fintech landscape. The reporting is incisive and honest, and it demonstrates a sharp understanding of the industry and the issues that concern it. I'd like to extend my best wishes to Arti for her continued success.”
“Well-researched, informative and analysis based reporting makes an interesting read. 'The Head and Tale' news portal has been demonstrating this quite well covering fintech and emerging tech sectors. Their timely updates, exclusive stories and different perspectives on these sectors help me stay informed. Kudos to Arti Singh for pursuing her passion and best wishes to the team.”
“The Head and Tale stands out for its deep industry knowledge and impressive network of sources. I especially appreciate that the reporting remains independent, rarely resorting to paid puff pieces, making it a publication I can genuinely trust. Having followed Arti’s work for years, I’ve come to rely on The Head and Tale for its unparalleled insight and truly independent coverage. Arti’s long-standing presence in the sector means her reporting is always informed, with access few can match.”
“What I really appreciate about The Head and Tale is that it doesn’t just report the news, it interprets it. The stories are well-researched, comprehensive, and bold. Arti brings a fearless lens to reporting, often asking the uncomfortable but necessary questions. She makes you pause, reflect, and rethink what it all means for the payments and fintech ecosystem. It’s rare to find journalism that’s this sharp, timely, and relevant to the work we do every day.”
“I’ve always valued journalism that goes beyond surface-level headlines. The Head and Tale does exactly that - it connects the dots, asks the tough questions, and brings clarity to the shifts shaping our evolving industry. I’ve even encouraged my team members to subscribe, because staying informed through credible, deeply reported stories is as important as building products. For me, The Head and Tale has become part of essential reading.”
