OpenAI’s new video-generation model, Sora 2, has sparked significant online debate, eliciting both admiration and skepticism. While many laud the tool for its realistic visuals and transformative potential in digital storytelling, others dismiss the influx of AI-generated videos as mere “AI slop.” Entering the discussion, billionaire investor and early OpenAI supporter Vinod Khosla has staunchly defended the technology, labeling critics as unimaginative and resistant to progress. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Khosla, founder of Khosla Ventures, stated, “Let the viewers of this ‘slop’ judge it, not ivory tower luddite snooty critics or defensive creatives.” His remarks targeted those who label AI-generated content as devoid of creativity.
Khosla contended that such criticism demonstrates a “tunnel vision” viewpoint, drawing comparisons between the backlash against Sora 2 and historical resistance to major technological advancements. He referenced how innovations like digital music in the 1990s and digital photography in the 2000s were initially scorned by purists before becoming essential to contemporary creative industries. “This is the same initial reaction we saw then,” he asserted, suggesting that skepticism toward AI art is a natural part of creativity’s evolution. Launched earlier this month, Sora 2 enables users to craft short AI-generated videos using text prompts, static images, and even their own likeness and voice.
The enhanced model builds on the original Sora’s features, offering longer, more realistic clips and improved physics, resulting in lifelike videos. Since its launch, the app has soared in the Apple App Store rankings, inundating social media with user-generated AI clips. Proponents of Sora 2 view it as a significant advancement in democratizing video production, allowing anyone with creativity to produce professional-quality visuals without the need for expensive equipment or training. Conversely, critics caution that it may blur the boundaries between human and machine-created art, potentially leading to an overwhelming amount of synthetic content and undermining traditional artistic forms. Khosla, however, regards this influx of AI-generated media as an opportunity rather than a threat.
“Sora opens up so many more avenues of creativity if you have an imagination,” he noted, while recognizing that traditional video will still hold its relevance. “Traditional video will still have a role, but AI will offer many more dimensions of creative video.” Additionally, OpenAI has responded to concerns about intellectual property and copyright following Sora 2’s release. In a recent blog post, CEO Sam Altman announced two key updates. First, rightsholders will have enhanced control over how their characters are generated, expanding the platform’s opt-in model for likeness and providing extra layers of protection. Second, the company is investigating revenue-sharing models with creators and rightsholders.
Altman mentioned, “People are generating much more than we expected per user, and a lot of videos are being generated for very small audiences. We are going to try sharing some of this revenue with rightsholders who want their characters generated by users.” As Sora 2 continues to redefine digital creativity, Khosla’s defense highlights a larger conversation: whether AI tools like Sora signify the decline of human artistry or its next significant advancement.