OpenAI pulls the plug on its Sora AI video app
OpenAI has announced the discontinuation of its Sora AI video app, citing a decline in user interest. The decision to pull the plug on the video platform was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, which highlighted the waning popularity of Sora among consumers.
In a statement to CBS News, an OpenAI spokesperson explained the rationale behind the move, stating, “We’ve decided to discontinue Sora in the consumer app and API. As we focus and compute demand grows, the Sora research team continues to focus on world simulation research to advance robotics that will help people solve real-world, physical tasks.”
OpenAI also took to social media to express gratitude to Sora users, acknowledging that the news of the app’s discontinuation may be disappointing to many. The AI video app landscape has been praised for its ability to generate videos quickly but has also faced criticism for blurring the lines between real and fake content.
The proliferation of AI-generated videos, often referred to as “slop,” has raised concerns about the spread of low-quality or deceptive content online. Sora, launched by OpenAI in February 2024, sparked discussions about the future of content creation in the AI era.
In September 2025, OpenAI introduced Sora 2, a more powerful version of the tool that allowed users to create “cameos” of themselves and others. Despite its popularity, Sora faced controversies, such as users creating disrespectful depictions of historical figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and copyright concerns related to using popular characters without permission.
OpenAI addressed these issues by collaborating with companies like Disney to secure licensing deals for the use of their characters in Sora videos. However, the decision to discontinue Sora does not affect ChatGPT’s AI image generator, which will remain active.
In a statement to CBS News, OpenAI emphasized the importance of prioritizing high-value uses of compute resources to advance its mission. While Sora may be coming to an end, the company remains committed to exploring new ways to leverage AI technologies responsibly.
As the tech landscape continues to evolve, the discontinuation of Sora serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges and opportunities in the AI-driven content creation space. Stay tuned for more updates on OpenAI’s future endeavors and the latest developments in artificial intelligence.
