Unlike previous technologies (e.g., VHS, internet) that primarily altered pornography's distribution, generative AI fundamentally changes its production. It enables customized content creation from text prompts, shifting the creation process away from traditional studios or individual performers.
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Unlike platforms like YouTube that merely host user-uploaded content, new generative AI platforms are directly involved in creating the content themselves. This fundamental shift from distributor to creator introduces a new level of brand and moral responsibility for the platform's output.
Don't view generative AI video as just a way to make traditional films more efficiently. Ben Horowitz sees it as a fundamentally new creative medium, much like movies were to theater. It enables entirely new forms of storytelling by making visuals that once required massive budgets accessible to anyone.
OpenAI's decision to allow adult content for verified users is a calculated business strategy, not just a policy tweak. It's a direct move to counter-position against competitors like xAI's Grok and capture a massive, highly engaged market segment, signaling a shift towards a more permissive, Reddit-like content model.
A significant concern with AI porn is its potential to accelerate trends toward violent content. Because pornography can "set the sexual script" for viewers, a surge in easily generated violent material could normalize these behaviors and potentially lead to them being acted out in real life.
The OpenAI team believes generative video won't just create traditional feature films more easily. It will give rise to entirely new mediums and creator classes, much like the film camera created cinema, a medium distinct from the recorded stage plays it was first used for.
Studies indicate that when viewers know an erotic image is machine-made, they find it less arousing. This suggests a powerful "reality premium" where human authenticity holds unique value, potentially limiting the complete replacement of human performers by AI in creative and personal domains.
OpenAI is relaxing ChatGPT's restrictions, allowing verified adults to access mature content and customize its personality. This marks a significant policy shift from broad safety guardrails to user choice, acknowledging that adults want more freedom in how they interact with AI, even for sensitive topics like erotica.
While GenAI continues the "learn by example" paradigm of machine learning, its ability to create novel content like images and language is a fundamental step-change. It moves beyond simply predicting patterns to generating entirely new outputs, representing a significant evolution in computing.
Platforms like Sora represent a new phase where content is generated on the fly, tailored to maximize individual user attention. This devalues the role of human creators, as platforms no longer depend on them to fill their content catalogs, fundamentally altering the media landscape.
OpenAI is moving into erotica because pornography is one of the three core pillars of the internet economy, alongside ads and e-commerce. It's a massive, under-researched market because academics avoid the topic, creating a huge, data-rich opportunity for AI companies seeking revenue.
