OpenAI granted 300 artists early access to its new AI video generation tool Sora, but quickly suspended the program after just three hours following significant artist protest and backlash.

The artists published an open letter expressing concerns about being used for "art washing" - making Sora appear more artist-friendly than it actually is. They emphasized that while they're not opposed to AI in art, they object to providing unpaid testing and feedback to a company valued at over $150 billion.

Key complaints included:

• Artists being used as unpaid R&D and bug testers
• Strict content approval requirements from OpenAI before sharing any outputs
• Lack of proper compensation for artist contributions
• Concerns about the tool's development and potential public release

OpenAI responded that participation in the "research preview" was entirely voluntary with no obligations. The company states they support artists through grants, events, and other programs, and are committed to making Sora both useful and safe.

According to former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, Sora is planned for release by year-end, pending resolution of safety concerns and technical scaling requirements. The company has already funded some artistic projects, including the Tribeca Festival's Sora Shorts program, which featured five commissioned short films created using the model.

This incident highlights the ongoing tension between AI companies and artists, particularly regarding fair compensation and the ethical development of AI tools that impact creative industries.

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