OpenAI accused of using Netflix shows to train Sora AI video tool

OpenAI has been accused of using Netflix shows and other copyrighted content without permission to train its Sora AI video generation tool, renewing questions about the company's values, integrity and governance. What happened A Washington Post investigation uncovered compelling evidence that OpenAI trained Sora on copyrighted content without permission, including Netflix shows, TikTok videos, and major studio films. The investigation found that Sora closely replicates scenes from popular media including Netflix's "Wednesday," video games like "Minecraft," and animated logos from Warner Bros., DreamWorks, and other entertainment studios. According to MIT research scientist Joanna Materzynska, who studies AI datasets, "The model reflects the training data. There's no magic involved". Why it happened OpenAI maintains it used a combination of "publicly available and licensed data" to develop Sora - a lack of transparency that has fueled criticism, especially from content creators and industry stakeholders, about the apparent unauthorised use of copyrighted works. OpenAI cites "competitive reasons" for this lack of transparency and evasion of accountability. What it means The incident highlights the broader challenges in the development of AI products and services around sourcing data ethically while respecting intellectual property rights. For those impacted - content creators, copyright holders, and viewers - there are significant concerns about creative ownership, revenue, and the implications of AI replicating proprietary media without explicit consent. The incident also raises questions for policymakers about the regulation of data used to train AI systems. System 🤖 Sora Developer: OpenAI Country: USA Sector: Media/entertainment/sports/arts Purpose: Generate video Technology: Generative AI; Machine learning; Text-to-video Issue: Accountability; Copyright; Plagi arism; Transparency

Date it happened

2025-09-01

Organisation involved

OpenAI

Product, system or model

Sora

This is a record of what was reported, not a finding that anyone broke the law. If it names your organisation and you believe it is wrong, the corrections process is free and open to everyone.