FinTech

OpenAI's Sora Embroiled in Data Protection Controversy Amidst Training on Public Social Media Content

Published March 14, 2024

OpenAI, a vanguard AI research lab known for its groundbreaking advances, is currently under scrutiny over its latest venture, a cutting-edge AI video generator named Sora. The burgeoning controversy revolves around the alleged utilization of publicly shared social media content from platforms such as YouTube and Instagram during the model's training phase, without express authorization. This has spurred concerns suggesting potential breaches of data protection legislation. OpenAI's technology chief, Mira Murati, reportedly conveyed uncertainty regarding the specificities of Sora's data sources.

The Underlying Concerns

The crux of the contention lies in whether Sora's training regimen incorporated user-generated content from popular social media outlets without proper consent, potentially infringing upon the rights of content creators and individuals whose data might have been used. In light of these allegations, OpenAI, backed by prominent tech giants such as Microsoft Corporation MSFT, Alphabet Inc. GOOG, and conversely, Meta Platforms, Inc. META, could face significant legal and ethical ramifications.

About the Companies

Microsoft Corporation, a behemoth in the global technology sector, operates in various domains including software development, consumer electronics, and personal computing. MSFT is renowned for its Microsoft Windows operating systems, Microsoft Office suite, and its foray into hardware with products like Xbox and the Surface computers. Alphabet Inc., under its parent company structure, presides over GOOG and a myriad of subsidiaries and stands as a gargantuan in the tech industry by revenue. Lastly, Meta Platforms, Inc. Known as META, prides itself on its array of products that foster connection and sharing across a multitude of platforms and devices worldwide.

OpenAI, Sora, Data