OpenAI is rolling out changes to its AI video app Sora that aim to give copyright holders stronger say in how their characters and creative works are used. When the feature is fully rolled out, copyright holders (like film and TV studios) will be able to block how their characters appear in AI-generated videos, and those who permit such use will benefit from revenue sharing.
However, it's important to note that as OpenAI is planning on experimenting with a revenue-sharing model, the monetization framework is not yet fixed. Although, the company acknowledges it will require “trial and error” before settling on a standard approach across its products.
The move comes amid rising scrutiny over AI’s impact on intellectual property, especially as users create videos featuring popular characters or copyrighted material. Some companies, such as Disney, have already opted out of participating in Sora’s content ecosystem.
According to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, he said that the options for copyright owners, such as television and movie studios, will include being able to block the use of their characters. This will give the copyright holders "more granular control over generation of characters."
This is a significant shift from Sora’s earlier policies, which leaned more toward opt-out mechanisms and raised concerns among creators about unauthorized usage.
Meanwhile, it's worth noting that it's not only OpenAI that's trying to balance the differences. Other tech companies too are trying to balance innovation with fair pay for original work as concerns are mounting over how AI-generated content affects copyright and creators’ rights.
Sora was recently launched by OpenAI as a standalone app. The AI app, available in the U.S. and Canada, and allows users to make and share 10-second AI videos. The app quickly gained traction because it let users remix copyrighted material and post it in social-style feeds.
As Sora’s use surged, OpenAI noticed users producing far more videos than expected—especially for niche communities—driving the company to explore ways for creators and rights holders to earn money from their content.
CEO Sam Altman said the revenue-sharing model will involve “trial and error” before a unified system is applied across OpenAI’s products. The launch builds on OpenAI’s growing multimodal AI ambitions, competing with Meta’s Vibes and Google’s text-to-video tools in the rapidly evolving AI video space.
