OpenAI takes its pitch to Hollywood creatives after launching Sora for public use
Just months after OpenAI launched its controversial text-to-video artificial intelligence tool Sora for the general paying public, the company is making its sales pitch directly to L.A.'s filmmakers and digital creators.
This week, the ChatGPT maker screened 11 short films made with Sora on the big screen at Brain Dead Studios, a movie theater on Fairfax Avenue. The event, called Sora Selects, aimed to showcase filmmakers using Sora while also marketing the technology. The company's first such event was held in New York in January, followed by L.A. The next stop is Tokyo.
The movies shown on Wednesday featured various themes and AI-generated environments, including medieval times, dreams and sunsets — with scenes showing AI-produced humans, animals and landscapes.
Excitement and Creativity with Sora
"I'm most excited for people to walk away with a sense of, 'Oh my God. These people are so creative. There's so much that you can do with Sora,'" said Souki Mansoor, Sora artist program lead for OpenAI. "I hope that people go home and feel excited to play with it."
Since Sora launched, creatives have used the tool to make music videos, animation, commercials and other projects. Some indie filmmakers praised Sora, saying it gives them the opportunity to test ideas without budget constraints. But there also has been controversy in Hollywood around how Sora and other AI tools could displace actors, special effects artists and other workers in the entertainment industry.
Challenges and Controversies in Hollywood
Last week, more than 400 Hollywood creatives, including Ben Stiller and Ava DuVernay, signed a letter asking the government to defend and uphold existing copyright laws when it comes to AI. The Writers Guild of America last year sent letters to studios encouraging them to take legal action against AI companies that have used writers' work to train AI models without their permission.
Tech industry executives have said that they should be able to train AI models with content available online under the “fair use” doctrine, which allows for the limited reproduction of material without permission from the copyright holder.
Feedback and Future Prospects
OpenAI said it's pleased with the number of users who have signed on for Sora since its December launch but declined to share numbers.
Sahai said at peak traffic, there are 10 Sora videos generated every second. The four top cities using Sora are all abroad — Seoul, Paris, Tokyo and Madrid, OpenAI said. New York ranks fifth.
People can access Sora with a ChatGPT+ or Pro subscription and Sahai said there is overlap with ChatGPT users. While there are plans to one day make a free version of Sora, it is not yet available.
Industry Engagement and Challenges
AI companies have engaged in discussions with major studios about their technology, but few content-related deals have been announced, in part due to legal concerns and fears raised by talent.
Sahai said there's "a ton of interest" from studios in Sora and that people in the industry use their personal accounts or get permission from their legal and IT teams to test it out. Audience members said they were impressed with how far the technology has come. They were offered a month's free access to Sora.
After watching the screenings, Universal Pictures film executive Holly Goline said she had many feelings — excited, skeptical and inspired but "mostly curious." "We're here now, right?" Goline said. "Let's go."
Sign up for our Wide Shot newsletter to get the latest entertainment business news, analysis and insights.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
