OpenAI’s Sora app launched and zipped to 1 million downloads in under five days – quicker than ChatGPT did back in 2023. This iOS-only video generator, available just in the US and Canada with invites needed, racked up 627,000 downloads in its first week, edging out ChatGPT’s 606,000. It hit No. 1 on the App Store, with peaks like 107,000 installs in one day. But it’s stirred up trouble with deepfakes and copyright gripes, even as folks share wild AI clips online. OpenAI’s head of Sora, Bill Peebles, called it a win despite the invite wall.
Fun Features and Some Backlash
Sora lets you make short AI videos from text prompts using the new Sora 2 model – think cinematic or anime styles with sound. There’s a “cameos” trick to pop in your face or a friend’s, and you can scroll a feed of others’ creations. Users love the viral fun, but it’s led to messy stuff like fake videos of celebs or even dead folks like Robin Williams, sparking calls from his daughter to knock it off. The Motion Picture Association slammed it for infringing on movies and characters. OpenAI’s Sam Altman asked for “grace” as they tweak rules, switching to opt-in for creators and planning revenue shares.
Who Can Try It and When?
It’s out now on iOS for invited users in the US and Canada – no Android yet. OpenAI’s working on fixes for over-moderation and more features soon. Wider access could come as they scale up.
A Wild Ride for AI Videos
Sora’s quick rise shows how hungry folks are for easy AI tools, outpacing even ChatGPT despite limits. But it highlights the headaches with deepfakes and rights – OpenAI’s hustling to balance fun with fair play, one clip at a time.
