SoraAI: Unethically Impersonating Reality

On September 30th 2025, OpenAI released SoraAI 2 to the public, which is an upgrade from their first SoraAI model. The new program allows users to enter a prompt and generate videos from the ground up of anything the users can imagine. This new build of SoraAI is more complex than the first model, creating near human-like videos with albeit rough audio. Unsurprisingly however people are using this new program to make highly inappropriate and morally unethical videos. 

Recently, social media influencer Jake Paul has been a prime subject to videos of this nature. Several clips have been generated of him using a bunch of racist slurs in rapid succession. 

More importantly, SoraAI has the ability to generate the likeness of dead people, which is as disturbing as you can imagine. Previously, people have used the platform to generate videos of deceased basketball player Kobe Bryant, renowned and beloved activist Martin Luther King Jr, and a whole slew of United States presidents and world leaders.   

 Generating videos of dead people who cannot consent to such videos being made is without a doubt disturbing. Zelda Williams, daughter of deceased comedian Robin Willaims, posted online about AI videos of her father being shared to her. 

“You’re not making art. You’re making disgusting, over-processed hot dogs out of the lives of human beings,” Williams said in her post to Instagram. 

After receiving backlash, OpenAI announced that they are putting restrictions on SoraAI and only consenting actors can be generated. It’s only a matter of time though until internet users find a way to bypass the restrictions like they always do. 

Unfortunately since release, SoraAI’s second build has skyrocketed in popularity. Thousands of people and internet users alike are making videos similar to the ones previously mentioned. Even the White House Twitter/X account posted a video of President Donald Trump in a jet flying over protesters and dumping feces on them. I wish I was making that up. 

Although not everyone is being inappropriate with the use of AI, using programs like ChatGPT and SoraAI is terrible for the environment nonetheless. 

The United Nations Environment Programme, or UNEP for short, has spoken on the dangers of AI and the consequences that come with using it. 

“A request made through ChatGPT, an AI-based virtual assistant, consumes 10 times the electricity of a Google Search, reported the International Energy Agency,” UNEP said in an article about generative AI states. 

Generative AI in general is horrible for the environment, but more advanced programs like SoraAI are bound to use up even more electricity.  

SoraAI is an extremely worrying step in this era of Generative AI. Morally and ethically the AI program is horrific, generating videos of dead or alive people without consent. Imagine if your deceased family members were to put into an AI generated video and posted online for everyone to see. Imagine seeing an AI video of yourself doing embarrassing actions without consent. Imagine how bad the environment will be in a few decades if we don’t stop using programs like ChatGPT and SoraAI. The popularity of SoraAI should concern you, because of the horrifying ramifications of generative AI and its consequences.

If you are against generative AI, I highly recommend supporting some organizations made to prevent AI from harming the environment further. For example the aforementioned UNEP. Also you can and should support artists and writers opposed to AI. The previously mentioned Zelda Willaims is a movie director who has made movies without the use of generative AI. Trying not to use any tools like ChatGPT and SoraAI will also help. If enough people speak up and take action against generative AI, change is possible.