OpenAI’s latest text-to-video AI tool, Sora, has achieved a groundbreaking milestone, surpassing one million downloads in less than five days—a feat that outpaced ChatGPT’s initial launch. The app, which has dominated the Apple App Store charts in the US, transforms simple text prompts into ten-second, hyper-realistic videos. Sora’s rapid adoption was highlighted in an X post by Bill Peebles, the head of Sora, who noted the ‘surging growth’ despite the app being invitation-only and limited to North America. However, the tool’s handling of copyrighted material and depictions of deceased public figures has ignited widespread criticism. Social media platforms have been flooded with user-generated Sora videos, including those featuring late celebrities like Michael Jackson and Tupac Shakur. Zelda Williams, daughter of the late Robin Williams, recently urged people to stop sharing AI-generated videos of her father, linking the trend to Sora’s popularity. OpenAI defended its stance, citing ‘strong free speech interests’ in allowing historical figure depictions but acknowledged that authorized individuals could request the removal of recently deceased public figures’ likenesses. The app has also been used to create deepfake videos, such as one featuring OpenAI CEO Sam Altman alongside Pokémon characters, raising concerns about intellectual property rights. Legal battles loom as companies like Anthropic face lawsuits over AI model training. OpenAI has pledged to adapt its approach, offering rights holders greater control and exploring revenue-sharing models. However, whether these measures will satisfy stakeholders or lead to further legal challenges remains uncertain.