OpenAI shuts down video platform Sora: Is the film industry in the clear?

This article, in many ways, serves as an obituary for the controversial, and some may say infamous, AI video generation software known as Sora, once considered OpenAI’s golden goose. A surprise statement was made on the 24th of March on social media platform X confirming the demise of the platform.

When I say ‘demise’, I mean it in the sense that many in the film industry have rejoiced now the proverbial ‘AI witch’ is dead. This is especially significant when considering that Sora’s shutdown has resulted in the fallout of a partnership deal between Disney and OpenAI.

Have we seen the last of AI in Hollywood, or have the funeral bells been rung too early?

Reported to have cost over $1 billion, the deal involved the use of licenced Disney characters for the purpose of content creation. While the shutdown is objectively good news for those who champion against the use of AI in film, some ask what this outcome might spell for the future. Have we seen the last of AI in Hollywood, or have the funeral bells been rung too early?

In order to examine this scenario and suggest what may be upcoming for the tumultuous relationship between AI and the film industry at large, we need to examine what exactly caused the breakdown between Disney and Open AI. The deal was initially instigated by then Disney CEO, Bob Iger, who claimed it would place the imaginative and creative powers of Disney directly into the hands of its fans.

But, as reported by Variety, concern was expressed over the deal by fellow Disney execs. Many considered the use of the technology as degrading to the quality of the brand, and most vocally the Writers Guild of America saw the deal as tantamount to theft of their work.

AI isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it’s aiming to evolve. So, what does the future look like?

On the other hand, the reason for the shutdown of Sora is ultimately still up to speculation. Yet reports suggest it is due to OpenAI’s aims to go public. The company wishes to divert their resources toward AGI (artificial general intelligence) where AI can become capable of exceeding human capabilities altogether, and Sora’s software uses a considerable amount of the necessary computing power.

What we can derive from this, is that there is still a valid concern over the place of AI in the film and entertainment industry, and that AI isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it’s aiming to evolve. So, what does the future look like? Does the fallout of this deal exist as an example of winning the war, or just one of many battles?

Disney have already issued a statement regarding the situation, stating they are still committed “to engage with AI platforms to find new ways to meet fans where they are, while responsibly embracing new technologies that respect IP and the rights of creators.” In light of this, it may be more appropriate to divert the conversation to how creative integrity can be maintained in this ‘AI age’. After all, AI is inevitable – and I don’t mean to sound like a T-800 ready for Judgement Day when I say that.

The entertainment industry has always gone through periods of uncertainty when technological evolution has occurred. The advent of streaming spelled uncertainty for the existence of cinemas, yet despite this…they still remain

From an objective point of view, this is the nature of the industry. As marked by Forbes, the entertainment industry has always gone through periods of uncertainty when technological evolution has occurred. The advent of streaming spelled uncertainty for the existence of cinemas, yet despite this, and the small issue of a global pandemic, they still remain. Furthermore, Forbes suggests that the employment of generative AI by movie studios is a method of adaptation. If the studios can use the technology strategically, then it negates fan usage and can open a new branch in the industry, one, I would like to add, which is under the industry’s control.

To conclude, whilst the cynical amongst us may see the outcome of this digital debacle as merely luck or happenstance, as AI is still marching forward at an artificially advanced pace, I believe that the dissolving of this deal provides an opportunity to consider how we move forward. Perhaps the backlash over the deal and subsequent celebration over its end may provide food for thought on how AI should be used in the industry. Perhaps this is an opportunity to use AI in a way which does not infringe on the inherent purity of the creative industries. I myself have no idea what this new solution could be, I lack the qualifications or the precognitive foresight. I simply hope for a film industry with integrity. A very human notion indeed… one I know is shared by many.