OpenAI’s latest video-generation model, Sora 2, has become the focal point of a heated debate online, with reactions ranging from admiration to skepticism. While many praised the tool for its lifelike visuals and potential to revolutionize digital storytelling, others dismissed the flood of AI-generated videos as “AI slop.” But stepping into the fray, OpenAI’s early backer and billionaire investor Vinod Khosla has come out strongly in defense of the technology, criticizing detractors as unimaginative and resistant to change.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Khosla, the founder of Khosla Ventures, wrote, “Let the viewers of this ‘slop’ judge it, not ivory tower luddite snooty critics or defensive creatives.” His comment was aimed at those dismissing AI-generated content as creatively bankrupt. Khosla argued that such criticism reflects a “tunnel vision” perspective, comparing the backlash against Sora 2 to earlier resistance seen with major technological shifts.

Drawing parallels with the past, Khosla highlighted how innovations such as digital music in the 1990s and digital photography in the 2000s were initially ridiculed by purists before becoming integral to modern creative industries. “This is the same initial reaction we saw then,” he said, suggesting that skepticism toward AI art is part of the natural evolution of creativity.

Sora 2, launched earlier this month, allows users to create short AI-powered videos using text prompts, static images, and even their own likeness and voice. The upgraded model builds on the original Sora’s capabilities with longer, more realistic clips and improved physics, making the videos appear lifelike. Since its release, the app has climbed the Apple App Store charts, flooding social media feeds with user-generated AI clips.

Supporters of Sora 2 see it as a major step toward democratizing video creation, giving anyone with imagination the ability to craft professional-quality visuals without expensive equipment or training. Critics, however, warn that it could blur the line between human-made and machine-made art, leading to an overload of synthetic content and diminishing traditional forms of creativity.

Khosla, however, views this surge of AI-generated media as an opportunity, not a threat. “Sora opens up so many more avenues of creativity if you have an imagination,” he remarked, while acknowledging that traditional video will continue to have its place. “There will be a role for traditional video still but many more dimensions of creative video thru AI.”

Meanwhile, OpenAI has also addressed concerns about intellectual property and copyright misuse following Sora 2’s debut. In a recent blog post, CEO Sam Altman announced two major updates. First, rightsholders will now have more detailed control over how their characters are generated—an extension of the platform’s opt-in model for likeness, offering additional layers of protection.

Second, the company is exploring revenue-sharing models with creators and rightsholders. Altman wrote, “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 push the boundaries of digital creativity, Khosla’s defense underscores a broader debate: whether AI tools like Sora represent the decline of human artistry—or its next great evolution.