Why AI deepfakes of Martin Luther King Jr. sparked outrage

OpenAI's AI tool, Sora, has faced backlash for generating deepfake videos of Martin Luther King Jr. These videos, which showed the civil rights leader in disrespectful and altered scenarios, led to his estate requesting OpenAI to stop.

AI Tool's Popularity and Controversy

The AI tool has become popular for creating realistic videos, but this has also resulted in the creation of offensive content featuring deceased celebrities and historical figures.

OpenAI's Response

OpenAI has paused the creation of images of Dr. King as they work on improving their safety measures for historical figures. However, they continue to allow the creation of videos featuring other prominent individuals, which has raised eyebrows.

Public Reaction

Videos of figures like President John F. Kennedy, Queen Elizabeth II, and Professor Stephen Hawking have been widely shared, leading to public figures like Zelda Williams and Bernice King asking people to stop sharing AI-generated videos of their late family members.

Controversial AI-Generated Videos

Among the controversial AI-generated videos of Dr. King were ones that altered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, with one clip even showing him making racist noises. Other videos showed Dr. King and Malcolm X fighting each other. These videos have sparked concerns about the ethical implications of AI-generated content and the potential for misinformation.

Expert Opinions

AI ethicist Olivia Gambelin praised OpenAI's decision to limit the use of Dr. King's image but criticized the company for not having measures in place from the beginning. She highlighted the dangers of deepfakes in rewriting history and the need for better control over AI-generated content.

Concerns About Deepfakes

The rise of deepfakes has raised concerns about their potential use in spreading disinformation, discrimination, and abuse. OpenAI acknowledged the importance of free speech but also emphasized the need for control over the likenesses of historical figures. They stated that authorized representatives or estate owners can request that their likeness not be used in Sora cameos.

Expert Insights

Generative AI expert Henry Ajder pointed out that this approach raises questions about who gets protection from synthetic resurrection and who doesn't. He stressed the importance of avoiding a situation where society accepts a free-for-all over how the deceased are represented after their death.

OpenAI's Measures

OpenAI has stated that they have built multiple layers of protection to prevent misuse and are in direct dialogue with public figures and content owners to gather feedback on what controls they want. They aim to reflect this feedback in subsequent changes to their AI tools.