OpenAI is abandoning its TikTok-style video app Sora just six months after launch, canceling a planned $1 billion Disney investment in the process. The shutdown signals a retreat from consumer social media as the company refocuses resources on enterprise products and robotics research.
Sora launched in September 2025 as an invite-only platform that let users create AI-generated videos using scanned facial data. It reached 3.33 million downloads across iOS and Android by November, according to Appfigures, but interest faded quickly with downloads dropping to 1.13 million by February.
The decision comes days after Disney pulled away from its previously committed $1 billion investment in OpenAI. The entertainment giant had signed a three-year licensing agreement that would have brought more than 200 Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars characters to Sora, with Disney set to become a major OpenAI customer.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told employees that ending Sora will free up resources for next-generation AI models, according to The Information. Reuters reported that even some members of the Sora team were caught off guard by the sudden shutdown announcement.
The company did not provide specific reasons for discontinuing the app but said it would share timelines for when both the app and API will be shut down. Users will receive guidance on how to preserve their work before the service ends.
Sora generated about $2.1 million in in-app purchases primarily from users buying additional video generation credits, Appfigures estimates. This pales in comparison to ChatGPT's reported 900 million weekly active users.
Axios reports that the Sora research team will now focus on world simulation research for robotics development. Reuters added that Sora required significant computational resources that left other teams with less firepower.
The broader availability of similar AI video generation tools suggests that AI-generated content will continue expanding across other platforms despite Sora's demise.
