OpenAI strengthens Sora 2 guardrails after actor Bryan Cranston raises alarm

OpenAI said it is cracking down on unauthorized content following outcry over Sora 2’s ability to replicate likenesses and copyrighted material without permission.

OpenAI said it is cracking down on unauthorized content following outcry over Sora 2’s ability to replicate likenesses and copyrighted material without permission.

And public figures might have actor Bryan Cranston to thank for that.

During the Sept. 30 launch of Sora 2, the newest version of OpenAI’s advanced text-to-video model, the company said it would prohibit users from replicating real people’s likenesses without that person explicitly opting in through a “cameo” feature.

Despite this stated policy, videos of Cranston, who is best known for his role as Walter White in “Breaking Bad,” quickly started appearing on the Sora app alongside AI-generated videos of other celebrities, including deceased figures like Michael Jackson and copyrighted characters like Ronald McDonald.

Cranston subsequently raised the issue with SAG-AFTRA, the union representing more than 150,000 film and TV performers, which has resulted in a collaborative effort with OpenAI and several talent agencies to “ensure voice and likeness protections in Sora 2,” the companies said in a joint statement posted to X on Monday.