OpenAI, the innovative startup specializing in generative AI, recently unveiled the creative capabilities of its highly realistic AI model, Sora. Although OpenAI had been sharing videos generated by Sora, access to the text-to-video tool had been restricted to the public. However, for the first time, the company has granted a select group of external filmmakers, artists, advertising agencies, and musicians the opportunity to utilize the Sora model and craft their own videos.
In a blog post released by OpenAI, the company expressed enthusiasm about how Sora can empower creatives to manifest their visions. The post featured seven videos crafted by the individuals who had been given access to Sora. Notable creators included Walter Woodman, Sidney Leeder, and Patrick Cederberg from shy kids, a multimedia production company based in Toronto. Walter directed the short film “Air Head.” Other contributors encompassed Paul Trillo, a versatile artist, writer, and director, as well as Nik Kleverov, the Creative Director and Co-Founder of Native Foreign, an Emmy-nominated creative agency. August Kamp, Josephine Miller, Don Allen Stevenson III, and Alex Reben were also part of this select group.
OpenAI’s decision to spotlight these third-party creations serves as a promotional initiative showcasing Sora’s potential beyond the confines of OpenAI itself. Moreover, this initiative aligns with a recent report by Bloomberg disclosing that OpenAI executives have been engaging with Hollywood filmmakers and studios to spark interest in utilizing Sora for conventional, large-scale filmmaking projects.
However, OpenAI’s campaign to promote Sora comes at a time when AI-generated video and generative AI for content creation are encountering heightened skepticism and criticism from both artists and audiences. Just last week, an independent horror film titled “Late Night With The Devil” faced backlash online due to its incorporation of AI-generated still images for certain transitions and set decorations. Some individuals even advocated for a boycott of the film and any other productions employing AI instead of traditional artistic methods.
In response to OpenAI’s latest wave of third-party Sora videos, Ed Newton-Rex, former Stability AI executive and current Fairly Trained CEO, accused OpenAI of “Artistwashing.” Newton-Rex defined this term as soliciting positive comments about generative AI models from a select group of creators while training on people’s work without permission or payment. Fairly Trained is a non-profit organization that certifies AI models, ensuring they have only used licensed or public domain data. OpenAI has refrained from disclosing the specific data used to train Sora, although Chief Technology Officer Mira Murtai mentioned in an interview with The Wall Street Journal that the company utilized publicly available and licensed data, including videos from its agreement with Shutterstock.
OpenAI’s unveiling of third-party Sora creations provides a glimpse into the potential of the technology beyond what the company itself has showcased thus far. While there are concerns and criticisms surrounding the use of generative AI in content creation, OpenAI’s collaboration with external creators demonstrates the possibilities that arise when combining human creativity with advanced AI capabilities. As Sora continues to evolve and improve, it has the potential to revolutionize the creative industry, offering new avenues for artists, filmmakers, and musicians to express their ideas and bring them to life.
