OpenAI has rolled out an exciting update for its Sora app on iOS, packed with new features designed to spark creativity. The artificial intelligence powerhouse, based in San Francisco, is now enabling users to craft ‘Cameos’ – unique, reusable characters brought to life from short video and audio snippets of their pets, favorite objects, or even hand-drawn sketches. This groundbreaking ‘Character Cameo’ feature is now accessible to all app users. Alongside this, two other significant enhancements, ‘Video Stitching’ and ‘Leaderboards,’ have been introduced. And for a brief period, US residents can now access the Sora app without needing an invitation!
Sora’s Creative Toolkit Expands
Announced via a post on X (formerly Twitter) from OpenAI’s official account, these new features mark a significant step forward for the Sora app. This is particularly exciting for users in the US, as OpenAI has temporarily lifted the invite-only access, allowing everyone to freely sign up and dive into the app’s capabilities.
The star of this update is undoubtedly the ‘Character Cameo’ feature. Previously, users were limited to incorporating characters from other users who had granted consent for their video creations. Now, OpenAI empowers every user to upload a brief video and audio clip of virtually anything – from a beloved pet to a household item or even a simple drawing – and transform it into a unique Cameo. This dramatically opens up creative possibilities. (It’s worth noting that OpenAI has also recently announced charges for extra AI video generations on the Sora app.)
Once a Cameo character is brought to life, users can imbue it with personality by assigning a name and descriptive traits through text. These tagged characters can then be seamlessly integrated into future video generations. Users also retain full control over their Cameos, choosing to make them publicly available, accessible only to approved users or mutual friends, or keeping them entirely private. Furthermore, creators can specify actions or dialogue they wish their characters to avoid. There is, however, a limit to the number of characters a single user can create.
Beyond Cameos, the new ‘Video Stitching’ feature offers another layer of creative freedom. Sora users can now effortlessly merge several short video clips into a single, longer narrative. The intelligent stitching tool automatically applies smooth effects and transitions, ensuring a cohesive and professional-looking final video.
To enhance the social and community aspects of the app, Sora now includes ‘Leaderboards’. These introduce a fun competitive element, showcasing three distinct rankings: users with the most popular Cameos, accounts recognized for their top remixes, and a list of the most frequently used or celebrated characters.