OpenAI empowers creators with control and monetization in Sora AI video app

OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, is taking a major step to give content owners more control over AI-generated media. Its newly launched Sora app, which allows users to create and share AI-generated videos up to 10 seconds long, will soon feature tools enabling rights holders, such as movie and TV studios, to dictate how their characters are used.

In a blog post, CEO Sam Altman emphasized that copyright owners will have "more granular control" over the generation of their characters. Options include blocking certain content entirely or permitting controlled use. This comes amid growing scrutiny over AI-generated content and its impact on intellectual property rights, as creators and companies seek fair compensation while navigating innovation.

Sora has quickly gained popularity since its U.S. and Canada launch. The app lets users spin copyrighted material into AI videos that can be shared across social media-style streams. However, the platform has already seen some resistance; Disney, for example, has opted out of allowing its characters to appear in the app.

OpenAI also plans to introduce a revenue-sharing system for creators who allow their content to be used. Altman noted that users are generating far more video content than anticipated, often targeting niche audiences, making monetization necessary. While the company admits that figuring out the revenue-sharing framework will require trial and error, testing will begin soon within Sora, with plans to roll out a consistent model across OpenAI’s broader product suite.

The Sora app represents OpenAI’s expanding push into multimodal AI tools, competing with offerings from tech giants such as Meta and Google. Meta recently launched Vibes, a short-form AI video platform, while Google is also exploring text-to-video tools. As AI continues to transform content creation, OpenAI’s approach of balancing user freedom, copyright protection, and revenue-sharing could set an important precedent for the industry.