The announcement comes just six months after OpenAI launched the standalone Sora app, and ahead of a potential IPO
ChatGPT maker OpenAI has announced it is shutting down its Sora app, which went viral last fall as a platform for sharing AI-generated short videos but also raised concerns over realistic deepfakes.
In a brief statement on X on Wednesday, OpenAI said it is “saying goodbye to the Sora app,” without giving a reason.
“To everyone who created with Sora, shared it, and built community around it: thank you,” the company wrote. “What you made with Sora mattered, and we know this news is disappointing.”
OpenAI first released Sora in late 2024. The tool gained mainstream attention after the launch of its second-generation model and a standalone app last September.
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…
The app quickly topped the iOS Photo and Video charts, as users created viral clips ranging from photorealistic historical figures to surreal pop culture mashups. OpenAI previously gave no indication it was working to wind down Sora. In December it even announced a now-cancelled $1 billion deal with Disney to bring characters from franchises such as Marvel and Star Wars to the platform.
However, Sora faced mounting backlash over deepfakes, misinformation, and unauthorized use of celebrity likenesses and copyrighted material. Advocacy groups, academics, and industry figures warned of risks including nonconsensual imagery and the erosion of creative jobs. OpenAI was forced to restrict AI depictions of public figures such as Michael Jackson and Martin Luther King Jr. following pressure from estates and unions, including the US performers guild SAG-AFTRA.
A Disney spokesperson said the company will now end its partnership with OpenAI.
“As the nascent AI field advances rapidly, we respect OpenAI’s decision to exit the video generation business and shift its priorities,” the spokesperson said in a written statement to the media. “We will continue to explore AI technologies that respect IP and creators’ rights.”
Meanwhile, the Sora shutdown also comes ahead of a potential IPO of OpenAI, which could reportedly take place later this year. Analysts see the move as a cost-cutting pivot, as AI video generation requires expensive computing power for which OpenAI has reportedly struggled to find a sustainable business model. Reports suggest internal priorities are shifting toward more commercially viable areas such as AI “co-workers” and robotics.
OpenAI said it will soon provide details on the shutdown timeline and how users can save their videos.
