In a move that underscores the growing ethical tensions surrounding artificial intelligence, OpenAI has agreed to block users from generating videos of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. using its new Sora AI video tool, at the direct request of the civil rights icon’s estate.
The decision, announced in a joint statement Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, comes amid backlash over offensive and vulgar AI-created portrayals of the Nobel Peace Prize winner, whose legacy is deeply intertwined with Atlanta’s history.
The Estate of Martin Luther King, Jr., Inc. (King, Inc.), based in Atlanta, collaborated with OpenAI to implement safeguards ensuring Dr. King’s likeness is “treated with the respect it deserves.”…