Since OpenAI’s Sora was announced, social media has seen an explosion of deepfake videos featuring Michael Jackson. Some are so realistic they mimic his voice, appearance, and mannerisms to a startling degree. Amid this surge, Michael’s estate has reportedly issued a takedown demand to OpenAI, accusing it of unauthorized use of his likeness.
According to reports, the estate argues that OpenAI is copying Michael’s image without permission, infringing on rights held by the estate. The complaint comes as hundreds of AI-generated videos of Michael, many created via Sora, are being shared across platforms, often without any visible watermark or disclaimer.
OpenAI and Google have both attempted technical safeguards. Google’s images generated via its “Nano Banana” initiative are tagged with SynthID watermarks, and Sora 2 videos are supposed to carry metadata disclaimers that flag them as synthetic. In theory, these measures should warn viewers that what they’re seeing isn’t genuine archival footage.
In practice, however, many of the AI videos featuring Michael on social media show no visible watermarks or notices. Once a video is reshared, stripped of metadata, or re-encoded, those protections may vanish. The result: deepfake content circulates widely, indistinguishable from “real” video to many casual viewers.
OpenAI has drawn a clearer line when it comes to living figures. The platform bans deepfakes of living celebrities unless they opt in. But deceased public figures like Michael Jackson remain exempt under the current policy. In other words, you can’t create a synthetic video of a living star without permission, but you can of someone who has passed.
That policy distinction becomes especially contentious given the pace and volume of AI content emerging. By allowing posthumous deepfakes while cracking down on living celebrities, OpenAI places Michael Jackson and other late icons in a gray zone. The takedown demand from the estate may test how enforceable those boundaries really are in the AI age.
NOTE: This has not been confirmed or denied by the Michael Jackson Estate at the time this article was written.
Is Michael Jackson king of pop really deceased ? I heard rumors that MJ might have faked his death and is living in a foreign country under a disguise using another name. Can you confirm Michael Jackson’s death?
Rumors are false. Anyone thinking Michael Jackson would be such a monster to put his family and especially his children through such a dramatic event, does not know who was Michael Jackson.
I believe he faked his own death to retire from his career and public life, because he was unable to have a private life. It was the only way he could escape the fans and hope for a real private life. I’m sure his children and family were prepared for his “death”. I just hope he was able to get the life he was dreaming of.