Sam Altman Announces Sora's 'Granular,' Opt-In Copyright Management

OpenAI appears to be shifting its stance on copyright and intellectual property for its new video app, Sora.
Before Sora's launch this week, The Wall Street Journal reported that OpenAI informed Hollywood studios and agencies they would need to explicitly opt out to prevent their IP from being used in Sora-generated videos.
Despite its invite-only status, the app rapidly ascended to the top of the App Store charts. Sora's standout feature is arguably its "cameos," which let users upload biometric data to insert their digital likeness into AI-generated videos.
Concurrently, many users are reveling in breaching copyright by producing videos featuring popular characters owned by studios. Some of these creations even have characters commenting on the company's copyright policies, such as videos where Pikachu and SpongeBob SquarePants interact with deepfakes of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
In a blog post on Friday, Altman stated the company is already planning two updates for Sora. The first will grant copyright holders "more granular control over character generation, similar to the opt-in model for likenesses but with additional controls."
The crucial term here is "opt-in," indicating OpenAI intends to prevent users from creating videos with copyrighted characters unless studios and other rights holders have explicitly granted Sora permission.
"We're hearing from many rights holders who are excited about this new form of 'interactive fan fiction' and believe this engagement will create significant value for them. However, they want the ability to specify how their characters are used, including opting out entirely," Altman said.
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San Francisco|October 27-29, 2025REGISTER NOWAltman conceded that even with this new approach, there will likely be "some edge cases where generations slip through that shouldn't."
The second change he mentioned involves an unspecified form of video monetization. The company had previously stated its only monetization plan was to charge users for extra videos during peak demand. Altman's post expanded on this, acknowledging "we are going to have to somehow make money from video generation," and suggested revenue could be shared with rights holders.
"We hope this new form of engagement proves even more valuable than revenue sharing, but of course, we... want both to be valuable."
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OpenAI appears to be shifting its stance on copyright and intellectual property for its new video app, Sora.
Before Sora's launch this week, The Wall Street Journal reported that OpenAI informed Hollywood studios and agencies they would need to explicitly opt out to prevent their IP from being used in Sora-generated videos.
Despite its invite-only status, the app rapidly ascended to the top of the App Store charts. Sora's standout feature is arguably its "cameos," which let users upload biometric data to insert their digital likeness into AI-generated videos.
Concurrently, many users are reveling in breaching copyright by producing videos featuring popular characters owned by studios. Some of these creations even have characters commenting on the company's copyright policies, such as videos where Pikachu and SpongeBob SquarePants interact with deepfakes of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
In a blog post on Friday, Altman stated the company is already planning two updates for Sora. The first will grant copyright holders "more granular control over character generation, similar to the opt-in model for likenesses but with additional controls."
The crucial term here is "opt-in," indicating OpenAI intends to prevent users from creating videos with copyrighted characters unless studios and other rights holders have explicitly granted Sora permission.
"We're hearing from many rights holders who are excited about this new form of 'interactive fan fiction' and believe this engagement will create significant value for them. However, they want the ability to specify how their characters are used, including opting out entirely," Altman said.
Join 10k+ tech and VC leaders for growth and connections at Disrupt 2025
Netflix, Box, a16z, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Hugging Face, Elad Gil, Vinod Khosla — just some of the 250+ industry leaders hosting 200+ sessions packed with insights to fuel startup growth and sharpen your competitive edge. Don't miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch and this opportunity to learn from the top minds in tech. Secure your ticket before the event opens to save up to $444.
Join 10k+ tech and VC leaders for growth and connections at Disrupt 2025
Netflix, Box, a16z, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Hugging Face, Elad Gil, Vinod Khosla — just some of the 250+ industry leaders hosting 200+ sessions packed with insights to fuel startup growth and sharpen your competitive edge. Don't miss this chance to learn from the top minds in tech. Get your ticket before doors open to save up to $444.
San Francisco|October 27-29, 2025REGISTER NOWAltman conceded that even with this new approach, there will likely be "some edge cases where generations slip through that shouldn't."
The second change he mentioned involves an unspecified form of video monetization. The company had previously stated its only monetization plan was to charge users for extra videos during peak demand. Altman's post expanded on this, acknowledging "we are going to have to somehow make money from video generation," and suggested revenue could be shared with rights holders.
"We hope this new form of engagement proves even more valuable than revenue sharing, but of course, we... want both to be valuable."
Sam Altman Sparks Debate Over AI's Deceleration
Listen onApple PodcastsListen onSpotifyOpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently suggested that it may be time to “pace the rate of AI development” to allow society to “harden around some of these new capability levels.”On the latest episode of TechCrunch’s Equ
OpenAI fights Apple trade secret lawsuit
OpenAI rebutted Apple’s trade secret allegations on Tuesday, arguing the lawsuit is unfounded.“We take these claims seriously but see no evidence supporting them,” OpenAI stated, as reported by Bloomberg’s Ed Ludlow on X. “We support fair competition
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