OpenAI revealed they are saying goodbye to the AI video generation tool Sora. The tech firm shuts down Sora, which was first made publicly available in 2024. Then, last September, OpenAI launched Sora 2 and its stand-alone app.
Users could make and share hyper-realistic AI videos through Sora. It gained mainstream attention and was hugely popular among users. Now, merely six months after launching a stand-alone app, the tech firm has bid adieu to Sora.
OpenAI has discontinued its AI video generator, Sora
OpenAI bids adieu to the AI video generation tool Sora. They announced on X, “We’re saying goodbye to the Sora app. To everyone who created with Sora, shared it, and built community around it: thank you. What you made with Sora mattered, and we know this news is disappointing. We’ll share more soon, including timelines for the app and API and details on preserving your work. – The Sora Team.”
Notably, the stand-alone app gained mainstream popularity upon release. Just days after release, it quickly took the number one spot on Apple’s App Store. Users had a ball with Sora, and they created videos ranging from fun to downright bizarre, like bringing dead people back to life (via The Guardian).
However, soon enough, Sora was embroiled in controversy. Many users accused it of promoting violent and racist content, as well as the use of copyrighted characters, deepfakes, and misinformation.
Interestingly, OpenAI did not previously hint that they were shutting down Sora. In fact, on Monday, they launched a blog post titled “Creating with Sora safely.” The tech firm outlined guidelines to make the app safer for users, with stricter guardrails against harmful content propagating violence, self-harm, or violent agendas.
Moreover, this announcement comes three months after OpenAI signed a three-year deal with Disney that allowed users to generate videos using more than 200 licensed Disney characters.
A spokesperson shared with the outlet, “As the nascent AI field advances rapidly, we respect OpenAI’s decision to exit the video generation business and to shift its priorities elsewhere. We appreciate the constructive collaboration between our teams and what we learned from it. We will continue to engage with AI platforms to find new ways to meet fans where they are while responsibly embracing new technologies that respect IP and the rights of creators.”
