The Sora social media app was launched by the team behind ChatGPT on Tuesday, aiming to attract users who are currently engrossed in short-form videos on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Meta-owned Instagram and Facebook. This new iPhone application allows users to create diverse videos of themselves in various styles, from anime to highly realistic representations.
Despite the popularity of AI-generated videos flooding social media, concerns have arisen about the prevalence of “AI slop” overshadowing genuine human creativity and potentially undermining the information ecosystem. Advancements in AI technology have made AI-generated videos increasingly realistic, leading to instances where viewers are deceived. Notably, a video depicting the CN Tower on fire, created using AI, recently went viral on Facebook, fooling some users into believing it was real.
The official launch video of the Sora app showcases an AI-generated depiction of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in surreal settings such as a psychedelic forest, the moon, and a stadium filled with cheering fans watching rubber duck races. Currently exclusive to Apple devices in the U.S. and Canada, the app offers a personalized experience by suggesting videos based on users’ previous engagements.
Similarly, Meta introduced its own AI short-form video feed within the Meta AI app last week, featuring AI-generated content like a cartoon version of CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other whimsical animations. Both Sora and Meta’s Vibes product focus on personalized content curation to enhance user engagement.
Amidst these developments, concerns have been raised by experts like Jose Marichal, a political science professor, who observes the proliferation of engaging yet potentially misleading AI-generated content on social media platforms. Marichal highlights the importance of maintaining a trustworthy information environment to enable informed decision-making in society.
OpenAI has acknowledged these concerns and emphasized its commitment to user well-being by offering features to regulate content consumption. The Sora app permits users to generate videos using copyrighted material, a feature that has sparked discussions with copyright holders, including major studios like Disney who have opted out of the service. OpenAI has also implemented safeguards to prevent unauthorized use of public figures’ likenesses in AI-generated content.
In summary, the emergence of AI-driven content creation tools like Sora and Meta’s Vibes presents both opportunities and challenges in the digital landscape, underscoring the need for responsible content generation and consumption practices.
