OpenAI bans unauthorized celebrity deepfakes after Bryan Cranston's complaint
OpenAI just banned unauthorized celebrity deepfakes on its Sora app after Bryan Cranston called out the use of his voice and face without permission.
Cranston shared, "I am grateful to OpenAI for its policy and for improving its guardrails, and hope that they and all of the companies involved in this work, respect our personal and professional right to manage replication of our voice and likeness."
How 'Sora' works
Sora, launched in September 2025, has a "Cameo" tool that lets users put themselves or friends in videos—with consent.
But some people used it to make deepfakes of celebrities like Cranston, Robin Williams, George Carlin, and Martin Luther King Jr., leading to complaints from Cranston and the families of the others.
New rules and restrictions
OpenAI now requires living people to opt in before their likeness can be used and has tightened its safeguards.
Still, researchers found ways to get around these protections using public footage, so OpenAI says it's working to make Sora more secure.
Estate owners can also ask to have their loved ones' likenesses blocked.