Sora Now Allows Real‑Person Photo Uploads for Video Generation – How It Works and What’s Changed

Previously, Sora prohibited any reference images containing human faces; starting this week, eligible users can upload photos that include people to generate videos, but only after checking a confirmation box that asserts they have obtained the subjects' consent and own the media rights.

OpenAI’s official update lists three restrictions: every generated video will undergo stylized processing, any depicted person must have given consent, and the user must hold the media usage rights. The “stylized processing” is believed to slightly adjust faces so the output resembles the original but is not an exact copy, thereby reducing portrait‑right disputes while satisfying users’ desire to animate friends and family.

Compared with the earlier character‑generation feature, the new photo‑to‑video capability faces tighter safety controls, especially for images of children and teenagers. The system automatically detects real people in the input, applies visual stylization, and adds a watermark to clearly label the content as AI‑generated.

A technician on social media joked that the “I have obtained consent” checkbox now does more work than the GPU inference itself.

The rollout is interpreted as OpenAI’s attempt to balance market competition with safety compliance. After ByteDance released Seedance 2.0, which many view as a strong contender for video‑generation leadership, industry observers warned that OpenAI must either open this feature or risk ceding the market.

However, the feature is not yet available everywhere; European users report that Sora has not been launched in the UK or EU, and the update currently targets other open markets.

OpenAI also reiterates that generating videos of well‑known public figures remains prohibited, and it retains multi‑layer review, reporting, and takedown mechanisms to act against misuse.

The author tested the new upload flow and confirmed that real‑person photos can be submitted, but the content‑moderation filters remain very strict, allowing only a small fraction of uploads to pass. The piece concludes that without further bold moves, Sora’s user base may dwindle.