OpenAI to enable tighter control and monetisation in Sora

OpenAI has said it will give rightsholders more say over how their characters appear in Sora, its new AI video app, and has outlined a revenue‑sharing scheme to compensate those who opt in—moves that have followed a rapid, viral launch and mounting copyright scrutiny.

The Sora app was recently released on an invite‑only basis in the United States and Canada, enabling users to generate and share AI videos of up to 10 seconds.

OpenAI has said it will add “more granular control” so copyright owners, including film and TV studios, can permit or block the use of their characters. The app is powered by OpenAI’s newer Sora 2 model and has quickly risen up Apple’s App Store charts.

What has OpenAI promised?

Chief executive Sam Altman has written that rightsholders will be offered opt‑in style, character‑level controls—akin to Sora’s existing likeness permissions—together with mechanisms to set limits or forbid use entirely.

He has added that OpenAI intends to test revenue sharing with rightsholders who allow their characters in user‑generated videos.

Copyright pressure has shaped the roadmap

OpenAI has acknowledged feedback from studios and creators and has committed to work with partners to block unauthorised uses. In the interim, the company has accepted takedown requests and has said it is developing more direct controls to prevent misuse at generation time.

Monetisation flagged as a near‑term priority

Alongside controls, OpenAI has said it will introduce monetisation for video generation and share a portion of revenue with participating rightsholders, noting that users have been producing more videos than expected, often for niche audiences.

Altman has cautioned that the exact model will require experimentation before being applied consistently across OpenAI’s products.

How the app works today

OpenAI has positioned Sora as a social, short‑form video product with tools for text‑to‑video generation and controls around personal likeness “cameos.”

The company has said it is iterating quickly, with further safety and policy updates expected as usage patterns and partner feedback evolve.

What this means for creators and media companies

• Rightsholders have been promised explicit, character‑level permissions and the ability to block use entirely, moving Sora toward an opt‑in regime for protected IP.
• Revenue sharing has been outlined for rightsholders who opt in, with details to be trialled inside Sora before a broader rollout.
• Studios and creators have continued to press for enforceable controls at generation time; OpenAI has said it is building these and handling takedowns in the meantime.