Recently, you may have seen a surge of AI generated content from OpenAI’s Sora 2 video generation model on social media. From humorous videos of famous figures to stunning, high-quality animations, calling Sora 2 merely “great” would be a massive understatement. However, the substantial advancement in the quality, accuracy, and freedom of AI generated content has sparked major controversy over the ethicality of such technology.
Following its release to the public on September 30, 2025, the jaw-dropping quality and speed of Sora 2’s video generation software became an instant hit on social media websites across the globe. People began to create a plethora of different content, with one of the more popular trends being the depiction of various fictional characters playing out different scenarios, with one example being the character Yuji Itadori from the manga series Jujutsu Kaisen engaging in a battle with Peter Griffin from the television series Family Guy. Initially, these videos were met with mixed feelings from the public, with some praising the accuracy and fluidity of the video as well as the characters’ voices, while others criticized the minimal time and effort it takes to actually create a detailed video, with one user stating that this marked the “death of hard work.”
The controversy would deepen further when, shortly after its release, OpenAI promptly removed users’ abilities to depict certain fictional characters after numerous copyright strikes from several different animation studios and corporations. Furthermore, users also started to create highly offensive videos of famous historical figures. One notorious instance of this trend was the myriad of videos featuring civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King. Several different renditions of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, created through Sora 2, were quickly distributed throughout the internet. The chaos eventually reached a point where King’s family complained to OpenAI on the “disrespectful depictions,” leading the organization to pause users’ ability to depict him. Several other derogatory videos of figures such as John F. Kennedy and Charlie Kirk have also been spread across social media, although many of these videos continue to proliferate and have yet to be taken down.
Students at CHS have also displayed ambivalence to the new software. “I think it’s amazing,” stated sophomore Daniel Mao, “it’s a good outlet for people who have good ideas but don’t have the skills to express them, although at this rate, it might rival people with actual artistic skills, lowering the value of art and animation.” Other students have also displayed contempt for the new model, albeit for different reasons. 6th grader David Chung mentions that he “[keeps] getting AI content on [his] feed; the stuff [he wants] to watch doesn’t show up as often.”
So is Sora 2 truly a gift or an affliction? Well, it really depends on your perspective. The ability to generate high-quality videos in seconds by simply entering a prompt can serve as a huge creative outlet for those who lack artistic experience and/or simply don’t have the time to learn. However, it can also serve as a highly controversial and dangerous tool when in the wrong hands. With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence technology, it may serve as a promising tool for creative expression while simultaneously foreshadowing a potentially dark future for artists and animators alike.
