Key takeaways:
- OpenAI is discontinuing its Sora AI video app and API due to declining popularity and a strategic shift toward robotics and world simulation research focused on real-world physical tasks.
- Sora, launched in 2024, gained rapid popularity for creating high-quality AI-generated videos but faced controversies over copyright, deepfake concerns, and misuse of sensitive likenesses, including Martin Luther King Jr.
- Despite a major partnership with Disney involving a $1 billion investment, OpenAI is prioritizing projects with higher impact potential as it prepares for an IPO and reallocates resources away from consumer AI video applications like Sora.
OpenAI announced on Tuesday that it will discontinue its Sora AI video app and associated API, marking an end to the service that allowed users to generate videos using artificial intelligence. The decision comes as the app’s popularity has declined, and OpenAI shifts its focus toward advancing robotics research aimed at solving real-world physical tasks. An OpenAI spokesperson stated, “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.” The company also expressed gratitude to Sora users, acknowledging that the news may be disappointing.
Sora, launched in 2024, quickly gained attention for its ability to produce high-quality videos from text prompts, sparking both enthusiasm and concern within the entertainment industry. Shortly after the release of Sora 2 in October, the app became the most popular in the iOS App Store’s Photo and Video category, with users creating lifelike videos featuring well-known characters such as Lara Croft, Mario, and Pikachu. These creations raised issues related to copyright infringement and deepfake technology, prompting debate among experts and industry stakeholders. In 2025, the app faced controversy when users generated videos depicting Martin Luther King Jr. in ways the company described as “disrespectful,” leading OpenAI to temporarily block the use of the civil rights leader’s likeness.
Despite the challenges, OpenAI secured a significant partnership with The Walt Disney Company in December, when Disney announced a three-year agreement to integrate many of its popular characters into Sora’s AI video generator. As part of the deal, Disney committed to a $1 billion investment in OpenAI and pledged to become a major customer, utilizing OpenAI’s technology to develop new products and experiences, including for its Disney+ streaming service. NBC News has reached out to Disney for comment regarding the recent shutdown announcement.
The closure of Sora comes amid a period of strategic refocusing at OpenAI, which recently raised $110 billion in fresh funding, boosting its valuation to approximately $730 billion. The company is reportedly preparing for an initial public offering in the coming months and has indicated that it cannot pursue all projects simultaneously. According to The Wall Street Journal, OpenAI’s leadership is concentrating resources on areas with the greatest potential impact, such as robotics and world simulation research, signaling a shift away from consumer-facing AI video applications like Sora. OpenAI has promised to provide users with timelines for the app’s shutdown and details on how to preserve their work.
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