OpenAI has quietly dropped a new app called Sora, and it looks like the company wants a slice of the social video pie. On the surface, it feels a bit like TikTok, short clips, endless feed, but the twist is that almost everything you see is cooked up with AI. You don’t just post what you filmed; you can type a prompt, pick a style, and watch the app spit out something wild, from hyperreal scenes to quirky animations.
Not everyone can try it yet
Before you go hunting for it on your phone, there’s a catch. Sora is invite-only right now. And even if you get in, it’s iOS-exclusive, available only in the US and Canada. Android users are stuck waiting, and there’s no word on when the rollout will expand. It feels more like a soft launch than a global release.
The tech powering it
Under the hood sits Sora 2, OpenAI’s newest video model. The company is hyping it up as a big step forward — kind of like what GPT-3.5 was for text. It can stitch together cinematic shots, photorealistic videos, even cartoon-style shorts, complete with dialogue and sound effects. Sounds impressive on paper, but we’ll have to see how consistent it actually is once more people get their hands on it.
Tools made for play
The app isn’t just about hitting “generate” and calling it a day. Features like Cameos let you add your face or voice into clips, though you’ll need to go through identity verification first. Remixing works a bit like TikTok duets, except you can spin someone else’s video with your own AI prompt layered on top. Basically, it’s set up to make collaboration easy, if not a little chaotic.
Less scrolling, more creating
OpenAI also says it wants to cut down on mindless scrolling. The feed highlights friends and followed creators rather than random viral stuff. And if you start swiping too long, the app nudges you to make something instead. For under-18 users, endless scroll is blocked by default.
It’s still early days, but Sora could either become the next big thing — or just another experimental app people forget about. For now, it’s OpenAI’s most direct push into the social space, and it’s clearly gunning for your Instagram and TikTok screen time.
