Japanese Government Requests OpenAI Implement Opt-In Consent for Sora 2
The Japanese government requested that OpenAI implement an opt-in consent system for Sora 2 to prevent the video generation AI from creating content resembling copyrighted anime and manga characters. OpenAI responded with plans to introduce finer copyright holder controls and profit-sharing mechanisms.
What happened
Sora 2, a video generation AI released by OpenAI on October 1, 2025, was found capable of generating videos closely resembling existing anime and manga characters without authorization.
The Japanese government requested that OpenAI implement an opt-in consent system requiring explicit permission from copyright holders before generating content featuring their intellectual property, rather than the current opt-out system where generation continues unless copyright holders object.
Reported impact
The capability to generate videos resembling anime characters such as Pokémon raised concerns about copyright infringement among Japanese content creators and intellectual property rights holders.
Index analysis
Sora 2 was trained on or has access to content depicting existing copyrighted characters, enabling it to reproduce similar visual outputs without authorization or compensation to rights holders.
Governance controls
The Japanese government indicated it is in direct communication with OpenAI and requested voluntary compliance with the opt-in system. The government stated it would consider government-level action if improvements are not made.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced on October 4 plans to introduce mechanisms enabling copyright holders finer control over character generation and to implement profit-sharing systems for rights holders.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.