‘South Park’ addresses AI-generated videos and copyright with Totoro, Trump and Bluey

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The show “South Park” is famous for tackling controversial topics, but viewers are calling its most recent episode intensely disturbing.

In a particularly unsettling episode, the creators of “South Park,” Trey Parker and Matt Stone, highlight how simple it is to make convincing fake videos using artificial intelligence. They also show how easily people can be tricked by these videos, or even believe genuine footage is fabricated.

Most of the discussion surrounding Wednesday’s episode centers on a scene depicting President Trump and Vice President JD Vance in a sexual encounter. They’ve publicly stated that a leaked video appearing to show an affair is fabricated, claiming it was created using Sora 2, OpenAI’s newest video generation technology.

Hollywood Inc.

OpenAI’s Sora 2 is causing significant concern in Hollywood, with studios, agencies, and unions voicing strong opposition to the technology’s development.

In the “Sora Not Sorry” episode, the kids of South Park start making revenge porn videos using the Sora AI tool. Butters makes a video of Red with Santa, and she retaliates by creating a similar video featuring Butters and Totoro from the movie “My Neighbor Totoro.”

Things quickly spiral out of control when the kids start creating a flood of AI-made videos starring popular, copyrighted cartoon characters. The South Park police are completely fooled, thinking the videos are genuine.

The episode features cameos and references to classic characters like Droopy Dog, Rocky, Bullwinkle, Popeye, and Bluey. Representatives from Studio Ghibli also appear, reminding everyone that you need permission to use another company’s characters and ideas.

Voices

Essay: ‘South Park’ has always delighted in poking the bear, whether it’s President Trump or Paramount

As ‘South Park’ reaches the midpoint of its 27th season, it’s clear that creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone remain committed to their vision and won’t compromise.

The situation mirrors how Studio Ghibli reacted when Sora 2 was released, suggesting OpenAI probably used their work and other Japanese art to train its AI. In late October, the Content Overseas Distribution Assn., a group fighting piracy for Japanese copyright holders, issued a letter stating they believe OpenAI’s actions could be a violation of copyright law. They’ve asked OpenAI to stop using Japanese content for AI learning and to address the copyright concerns seriously.

OpenAI’s newest version of Sora, launched in late September, creates videos that are more realistic, move more naturally, and are easier to direct than previous versions. It can also now seamlessly integrate dialogue and sound effects.

The company faced immediate criticism when it launched the new version of its app. The app worked by initially including everyone’s content, requiring intellectual property owners to specifically request removal. This meant users could create videos using well-known actors, characters, and voices until those rights holders actively asked for their content to be excluded.

Fake videos created using AI, often called “deepfakes,” started appearing online featuring celebrities, people who have passed away, and characters from copyrighted works. These included videos of figures like Robin Williams, Michael Jackson, and Martin Luther King Jr., with one instance described as a disrespectful portrayal of Dr. King. In October, OpenAI and the estate of Martin Luther King Jr. announced they would prevent the app from generating images of King while continuing to improve safety measures for historical figures.

Hollywood Inc.

Leading Hollywood agency WME has decided to prevent its clients from using the newest version of OpenAI’s Sora, a tool that creates videos from text. This decision follows growing worries among actors about how AI might affect their careers.

Following complaints from several Hollywood studios and agencies, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced in a blog post that the company will offer rights holders more detailed control over how characters are created using their AI technology. This will be similar to the current system where people can choose to allow their likeness to be used, but with extra options for managing it.

So, I’m hearing Disney and other studios are really starting to look into using stuff created by fans and AI. Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger, even mentioned they’re talking to some AI companies about deals. But, of course, they’re also super focused on making sure their own creative work – their IP – stays protected. It’s a tricky balance, wanting to embrace new tech while safeguarding what they’ve already built.

At South Park Elementary, a debate is brewing over increasingly unsettling AI-generated videos. Kyle wonders if it’s even legal to create such content, particularly when it uses characters that are protected by copyright. Butters replies that in this day and age, nothing is off-limits, and the only response is to fight back in the same way.

This episode appears to reflect the creators’ annoyance with people copying their work. This is highlighted by a line spoken by Peter Thiel, who makes a cameo: “With Sora 2, I can make the South Park kids do almost anything.”

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2025-11-14 01:01