Singapore – Sora, the popular AI video generation platform from OpenAI, will be shut down, as announced by the company on a post on X (Twitter).
No other details regarding the shutdown have been released, albeit they assured users they will share timelines regarding the app and its API, as well as how users can save 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,” the company said.
The news comes as a shock as the app was recently rolled out in multiple markets in Asia-Pacific, including Thailand, Vietnam, and Taiwan.
According to OpenAI back then, Sora supported the Thai language, allowing users to create content that reflects local culture, humour, and style. It was also powered by Sora 2, the latest video generation model from the company.
Moreover, it should also be recalled that The Walt Disney Company and OpenAI have previously reached a landmark three-year licensing agreement that will bring beloved characters from across Disney’s portfolio to Sora.
Through the partnership, Sora will be able to generate short, user-prompted social videos featuring more than 200 characters from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars, alongside related costumes, props, vehicles and iconic environments.
The move by OpenAI as well to shutter Sora also aligns with the company’s moves towards business-oriented developments, including rollout of a shopping research feature in ChatGPT, and bringing ads to the platform through its ‘Go’ subscription model.
