Artists Leak OpenAI’s Sora Model to Protest Alleged Exploitation

In February, OpenAI unveiled Sora, its ambitious text-to-video AI model, sparking widespread anticipation among creators and AI enthusiasts. However, since the initial announcement, updates on its progress have been scarce. Now, a recent controversy has cast the project into the spotlight, with claims that artists involved in its development have leaked the OpenAI’s Sora model to protest alleged exploitation.

Artists Leak OpenAI’s Sora Model to Protest Alleged Exploitation

On Tuesday, a group of beta testers reportedly leaked access to Sora, including a functioning interface for generating AI videos. The leak, which appeared on Hugging Face, a prominent platform for sharing AI models, allowed users to create videos resembling OpenAI’s official Sora demos before the company intervened to shut it down. This development was first reported by TechCrunch.

The group released an open letter, addressing OpenAI directly:

“Dear Corporate AI Overlords,”

“We received access to Sora with the promise to be early testers, red teamers, and creative partners. However, we believe we are being used for ‘art washing’—to falsely portray Sora as a tool embraced by artists.”

Concerns Raised by Artists

The protesting artists criticized OpenAI for allegedly exploiting their contributions under the guise of collaboration. They claim that the company has used their unpaid labor for research and public relations, without offering fair compensation or recognition.

“We are not against AI technology as a tool for the arts,” the letter stated. “But we disagree with how this artist program has been rolled out and how the tool is being shaped ahead of its potential public release.”

Another grievance highlighted in the letter was OpenAI’s strict content approval process, which reportedly requires every Sora-generated output to be approved by the company before it can be shared publicly. This, according to the artists, restricts creative freedom and limits genuine feedback.

OpenAI’s Response

When asked to comment, OpenAI did not confirm whether the alleged leak was authentic. Instead, the company emphasized the voluntary nature of the Sora research preview program. In a statement to The Verge, OpenAI spokesperson Niko Felix said:

“Sora is still in research preview, and we’re working to balance creativity with robust safety measures. Hundreds of artists in our alpha program have shaped its development, prioritizing features and safeguards. Participation is voluntary, and we’ve been excited to offer free access, grants, events, and other support to artists.”

Felix also underscored OpenAI’s commitment to ensuring Sora is both a safe and powerful tool for creators.

Delays in Sora’s Public Launch

While Sora was initially expected to be released by the end of the year, OpenAI’s former CTO Mira Murati stated in March that the model would only launch once the company felt confident about its potential societal impact. Concerns about Sora’s role in issues like election manipulation and impersonation have delayed its rollout.

In a Reddit AMA, OpenAI’s CPO Kevin Weil elaborated that the delay was also due to challenges in scaling computational resources and refining safety measures.

Future of Sora

As the controversy unfolds, the future of Sora remains uncertain. The leaked protest highlights the delicate balance OpenAI must strike between harnessing AI for creative purposes and ensuring ethical and transparent practices. Whether OpenAI can address these concerns and regain the trust of its artistic collaborators will play a crucial role in shaping Sora’s reception upon its eventual release.

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