OpenAI Shuts Down Viral AI Video App Sora After Just Six Months

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Artificial intelligence company OpenAI has announced it will shut down Sora, its text-to-video platform that allows users to generate realistic clips from written prompts, several months after its launch in September 2025. The company thanked the сreators and community who used the app.

Key Points

OpenAI is shutting down Sora, its AI-powered text-to-video social app, six months after launch.
Planned partnerships, including a $1B Disney deal for character licensing, will not proceed.
OpenAI will redirect the Sora team toward longer-term initiatives, including robotics, and discontinue video-generation products in ChatGPT.

In a post published Tuesday on X, Sora confirmed that its app will be shut down. The statement did not provide a reason for the decision, but stated that additional information would be released soon, including a timeline for the app and its API, as well as guidance for users on how to preserve their work.

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…
— Sora (@soraofficialapp) March 24, 2026

“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,” Sora wrote.

Sora was designed as a TikTok-style social app that let users scan their faces and generate realistic AI videos of themselves, originally called “cameos.” These clips could be shared publicly, allowing other users to create videos using someone else’s cameo.

Despite safety measures, the platform was exploited to produce deepfakes of real individuals, including public figures like Robin Williams and Jake Paul. Williams’ daughter publicly condemned the use of AI to generate videos of her late father, urging users to stop, while Paul saw multiple videos depicting him in fаbricated scenarios, such as conducting makeup tutorials.

In December 2025, The Walt Disney Company partnered with OpenAI as its first major content licensing collaborator for the Sora platform, accompanied by a $1 billion equity investment in the AI company. The three-year agreement allowed Sora to generate short, user-driven social videos using more than 200 characters and assets from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars, including costumes, props, vehicles, and iconic settings, enabling fans to create and share AI-generated clips featuring these beloved franchises.

According to a Tuesday report by The Wall Street Journal, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman informed employees that the company will be discontinuing products that rely on video-generation models. This includes not only the Sora app but also the video features within the ChatGPT generative AI platform. Altman stated that the Sora team will now redirect its efforts toward longer-term initiatives, including robotics research and development.

A spokesperson for The Walt Disney Company confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that the planned partnership with Sora will not proceed. “As the nascent AI field advances rapidly, we respect OpenAI’s decision to exit the video generation business and to shift its priorities elsewhere,” the spokesperson stated. “We appreciate the constructive collaboration between our teams and what we learned from it, and 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,” they added.

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Frequently Asked Questions

OpenAI has not provided a specific reason for Sora’s shutdown. The company stated that more information, including timelines for the app and API, will be shared soon.

Users will be given guidance on how to preserve their work before the app and its API are fully discontinued.

While the social app is closing, Sora’s AI video-generation model may still be accessible through other OpenAI platforms, but its future focus is shifting toward longer-term projects like robotics.

MICHAELA

Michaela is a news writer focused on cryptocurrency and blockchain topics. She prioritizes rigorous research and accuracy to uncover interesting angles and ensure engaging reporting. A lifelong book lover, she applies her passion for reading to deeply explore the constantly evolving crypto world.

Michaela has no crypto positions and does not hold any crypto assets. This article is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The Shib Daily is the official publication of the Shiba Inu cryptocurrency project. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial adviser before making any investment decisions.

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