OpenAI’s new social media application is rapidly gaining traction online. This iOS-exclusive app empowers users to create and share artificial intelligence (AI) videos of themselves or others publicly. It reimagines the popular short, vertical video format by integrating AI generation. While OpenAI leads the charge, rivals are also exploring this space; Meta recently introduced its ‘Vibe’ feed for AI video sharing, and Google found success with its Gemini-powered ‘Nano Banana’ trends in social AI content.
OpenAI’s Sora 2: A Clear Leader in AI Content Creation
The Sora app might resemble platforms like TikTok or Reels, but its core strength lies in its advanced video generation AI models. After a quick identity verification, users can input a text prompt to generate AI videos featuring themselves in various scenarios. A unique ‘Cameo’ feature also lets users select another person from a video and place them into an entirely new AI-generated environment.
The ability to integrate one’s own likeness into AI-generated videos has become an instant sensation. Users are enthusiastically sharing creations across platforms like Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), depicting themselves in imaginative scenes such as riding snowmobiles, exploring space, diving off cliffs into the ocean, or even interacting with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
While Sora enjoys immense success, Meta’s efforts in this space seem to be merely treading water. Despite a significant announcement and initial engagement, Meta’s ‘Vibe’ feed hasn’t generated the same level of excitement. This could be attributed to its lack of deep personalization; while users can generate AI videos and customize elements like pictures and music, the core experience isn’t as tailored. Meanwhile, Instagram’s anticipated video AI feature is still in development.
Google managed to tap into the social media trend with its ‘Nano Banana’ model, allowing users to upload an image and apply various AI-powered modifications. However, its widespread appeal was limited by the absence of a dedicated sharing platform and the lack of a video generation component.
Judging by the online buzz and the trending Sora hashtag, OpenAI currently holds a significant lead in the competitive AI content race.
Key Insights into the Sora App
1. The Sora app, exclusively for iOS, operates on an invite-only model. Without an invitation from an existing user, access to video generation and content viewing is restricted. This strategy likely aims to control computational costs and prevent server strain. However, limiting access could potentially hinder the platform’s long-term popularity if wider availability isn’t introduced soon.
2. A concerning ‘dark pattern’ has been observed within the Sora app. An X user highlighted via a screenshot that attempting to delete a Sora account triggers a warning from OpenAI: the same phone number and email address cannot be reused for a new account. Furthermore, any associated ChatGPT API access linked to that account will also be revoked. This suggests a deliberate strategy to deter users from deactivating their accounts, though the ultimate motivation remains unclear.
3. Despite its invite-only status, the Sora app has achieved remarkable growth. A TechCrunch report indicates it soared to the third position among Top Overall apps on the US App Store, accumulating 56,000 downloads. Within its first 48 hours, installs reportedly surged to 164,000. These figures place Sora ahead of notable AI apps like Claude and Copilot, and on par with Grok, marking a significant accomplishment for a platform with restricted access, even while still trailing Gemini and ChatGPT’s iOS applications.
4. The emergence of the Sora app has significantly amplified concerns regarding deepfakes. The app’s capability to generate videos not just of oneself but also of other individuals in various AI-created environments poses risks. While OpenAI states it has implemented safeguards to prevent harmful use, the potential for spreading misinformation remains. For example, reports indicate social media is already filled with realistic videos of users interacting with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, raising questions about ethical implications.
5. Copyright infringement presents another potential challenge for the Sora app. A recent video from a Sora developer featured Super Mario, and other users have generated content showing Pikachu as protagonists in various films. Given that Warner Bros. Discovery recently filed a lawsuit against Midjourney for creating images resembling copyrighted characters like Batman and Superman, it’s only a matter of time before OpenAI faces similar legal scrutiny over intellectual property rights.
Is Big Tech Trapped in an Innovation Cycle?
In the realm of artificial intelligence, a predictable ‘innovation loop’ has emerged. A new feature released by one company is quickly mimicked or adopted by its competitors. This pattern was evident with OpenAI’s ‘Deep Research,’ which was soon followed by similar offerings from Google and Perplexity. We’ve also seen this with recent advancements in web search, image generation, native audio generation, and AI-powered web browsers, not to mention the repetitive assistant-style implementations, familiar chat interfaces, and similar agentic functionalities.
Currently, AI-powered short videos are proving to be a highly popular trend. As previously discussed, leading tech companies are actively experimenting with social media-style AI video creation, and it’s anticipated that more players will soon join this burgeoning trend.
This persistent repetition indicates a sort of ‘innovation treadmill’ where companies prioritize incremental improvements over revolutionary advancements or truly distinctive offerings. When one AI innovator introduces a novel capability, others promptly follow suit with their own versions. This cyclical pattern threatens to commoditize generative AI, shifting the focus of differentiation from genuine breakthroughs to branding and ecosystem integration.