OpenAI’s Sora 2 has unleashed a copyright nightmare and Disney is fighting back. The entertainment giant recently issued a cease and desist to OpenAI over rampant unauthorized use of their characters and IP in Sora 2-generated videos. But Disney’s legal action only scratches the surface of a much larger problem.
The Flood of Infringement
As documented by Forbes and Medium, users are flooding Sora 2 with Disney content –Mickey Mouse animations, Marvel characters, Pixar-style videos – all created without Disney’s permission. Despite OpenAI’s claims that Sora 2 now operates on an “opt-in” model for rights holders, Disney content continues to proliferate across the platform.
The reality? The opt-in system isn’t working. And it’s not just Disney and Sora 2.
An Industry-Wide Crisis
Sora 2 represents the most visible example of a systemic problem across AI platforms. From ASMR Pikachu videos to video game character recreations, hundreds of thousands of pieces of copyrighted material are being created every single day. This includes:
- Studio IP and characters used without authorization
- Talent’s name, image, and likeness (NIL)appearing in unapproved content
- Franchise content generated at a scale that makes traditional takedown processes obsolete
While AI companies tout their commitment to respecting intellectual property, enforcement mechanisms haven’t kept pace with the technology’s capabilities. New infringing content appears faster than existing violations can be removed.
Why Traditional Protection Fails
The gap between OpenAI’s opt-in policy and the reality of Disney content flooding Sora 2 reveals a fundamental truth: AI platforms can’t police themselves effectively. When your IP generates engagement, platforms have little incentive to be aggressive about enforcement—even when they claim to respect rights holders.
For studios and talent, this creates an impossible situation:
- Manual monitoring can’t scale to match AI generation speed
- Traditional legal processes move too slowly
- Infringement happens across multiple platforms simultaneously
- New violations emerge while you’re still addressing old ones
For online content creators, it means:
- Your engaging content & style could quickly lose value
- Your direct relationships with your fans are at risk
So What Are We Doing at Vermillio
This is exactly why Vermillio exists. While AI platforms struggle with self-regulation, we’re constantly monitoring AI-generated outputs across Sora 2 and other platforms, identifying unauthorized use of our clients’ and partners’ IP and likeness.
How we protect what’s yours:
Real-Time Monitoring: We track AI-generated content across platforms as it’s created, identifying when your IP, characters, or talent’s likeness appears without authorization.
Rapid Detection: With hundreds of thousands of daily violations, speed matters. We flag infringement as it emerges, not after it spreads.
Takedown Coordination: We work directly with clients and partners to get violations removed – coordinating with platforms, documenting patterns, and supporting legal action when needed.
Proactive Defense: By tracking how your IP is being misused across AI platforms, we help you stay ahead of threats before they become widespread.
What’s at Stake
Disney’s cease and desist won’t be the last. As more studios recognize the scale of AI-generated infringement, legal action will intensify. But in the meantime, the violations continue and waiting for platforms to self-regulate isn’t a strategy.
The technology is only getting more powerful and accessible. Without robust monitoring and enforcement, today’s infringement will look modest compared to what’s coming. For studios with billions invested in IP, for talent whose likeness is their livelihood, the message is clear: you need independent monitoring at machine scale.
The Bottom Line
If you have valuable IP or represent talent, your content is almost certainly being used without authorization right now. The question isn’t whether it’s happening, it’s whether you’re actually watching and taking action.
The future of IP protection requires vigilance that matches the speed of AI. Vermillio provides that vigilance, because protecting what’s yours can’t be a manual process in the age of AI generation.
Concerned about unauthorized use of your IP or talent’s likeness in AI-generated content? Contact Vermillio to learn how we’re helping studios and rights holders fight back against AI copyright infringement.