OpenAI’s next-generation AI-powered video creation model, Sora, has been leaked by a group of artists and testers. This leak has sparked criticism of OpenAI’s practices towards artists and protests over alleged unfair working conditions. Here are the details:

What is Sora?

Sora is an AI-based tool capable of generating high-quality short videos from text prompts. Although not yet officially released to the public, this model can produce videos of up to 10 seconds in length at 1080p resolution. OpenAI aimed to improve the tool by testing it with early access users.

The Leak and Protest

The group behind the leak, calling themselves “Sora PR Puppets,” described their action as a protest. They accuse OpenAI, a company valued at billions of dollars, of using hundreds of artists and testers as unpaid labor. According to the group, these individuals contributed significant effort through feedback and bug testing without fair compensation.

In an open letter, the group stated:

• “Artists are not your unpaid R&D.”
• “This program appears to be more about PR and advertising than creative expression and critique.”

The group also highlighted that Sora’s early access program required users to obtain OpenAI’s approval before sharing any content, allowing only select users to showcase their Sora-generated works.

Technical Details and Reactions

The leaked code for Sora was temporarily made available on the Hugging Face platform. Users were able to generate videos using the model via this interface. However, OpenAI or Hugging Face quickly disabled access. Reports indicate that all early access users were temporarily removed from the system.

Some technical details that emerged during the protest include:

• Turbo Version: The leaked model is believed to be a faster “turbo” version.
• Style Controls: The model allows for the creation of videos in various styles.
• Limitations: Sora struggles with producing longer videos and maintaining consistent visual styles.

OpenAI’s Response

OpenAI has yet to make an official statement. However, following the leak, the company reportedly suspended access to Sora entirely. It remains to be seen how OpenAI will address these protests and whether it will reevaluate its collaboration practices with artists.

The Debate Between Artists and AI

This incident has reignited discussions about the fairness of collaborations between AI companies and artists. While artists seek proper recognition and compensation for their creative efforts, AI companies require extensive testing data and user feedback to refine their tools.

This leak raises questions not only about Sora’s technical capabilities but also about the ethical implications of AI use in the creative industry. It will be interesting to see how OpenAI responds to these protests and when Sora will be officially released.

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