OpenAI Launches Sora App and Sora 2

OpenAI has unveiled its new Sora app for iOS, which is being introduced on an invite-only basis. The app is powered by the freshly released Sora 2 model, designed to create AI-generated video with synchronised audio.

At launch, access is limited to users in the United States and Canada, though wider availability is expected in the near future. One of the standout features, called cameos, allows users to insert themselves or their friends into AI-produced video scenes.

This marks OpenAI’s first consumer-facing app outside of ChatGPT and also its first step into the social product space, highlighting the company’s growing ambitions beyond text-based AI.

 

What’s The Sora App?

OpenAI has introduced Sora as a social platform focused primarily on creativity rather than traditional broadcasting. Unlike mainstream social media, it is designed to encourage users to make and share content, rather than simply consume it.

The app builds on the video-generation power of the Sora 2 model, adding collaborative tools that allow users to remix content and work on projects together with friends.

Custom Feed

A distinctive feature of Sora is its personalised feed, powered by OpenAI’s language models. Instead of navigating through complex menus, users can adjust their feed using plain conversational commands.

By default, the feed highlights content from people a user follows or regularly interacts with, making the experience more personal. OpenAI stresses that Sora is not designed to maximise time spent scrolling. Instead, the aim is to encourage creation over endless consumption.

Cameos

At the centre of the app is a feature called cameos, where users can place themselves or friends into AI-generated videos. After completing a quick one-off video and audio capture, people can insert their likeness into creative scenes.

OpenAI notes that cameo participants retain full control over how their image is used. They can restrict who has access to their likeness and remove any video that features them if they wish.

Video Creation

In addition to cameos and browsing, Sora enables users to generate original videos using text prompts, or to remix videos made by others. The Sora 2 model is capable of handling complex instructions, generating multi-scene videos, and synchronising dialogue with sound effects.

For those seeking higher quality, OpenAI offers an experimental Sora 2 Pro model via sora.com, currently available to ChatGPT Pro subscribers. Access to this premium version through the app is expected later.

Meanwhile, the earlier Sora 1 Turbo remains available, with existing content saved securely in users’ personal libraries.

Monetisation Plans

Sora will initially be free to use, with limits on video generation tied to OpenAI’s computing capacity. The company’s monetisation strategy involves charging for additional generations once demand exceeds resources.

At present, there are no plans for advertising or a revenue-sharing scheme for creators, keeping the platform focused on content-making rather than ad-driven engagement.

Availability

The app has launched on an invite-only basis, with sign-ups managed through the iOS app. The App Store listing is already live, but new users will need an invite to join.

According to OpenAI, the invite system is intentional. The company explained that Sora’s core experiences, especially cameos, work best when users arrive with friends already active in the app. This, they say, ensures a more engaging and collaborative environment right from the start.

 

Looking Ahead

For marketers and content creators, Sora introduces a fresh space to share short-form, AI-generated videos, highlighting OpenAI’s push towards consumer-focused tools.

Its success will likely hinge on how accessible it becomes, the practical ways people can use it, and whether its feed design inspires active participation rather than passive scrolling.