OpenAI has entered the social media arena with Sora, an innovative app tailored for the creation and sharing of AI-generated videos. The platform operates similarly to Instagram but centers on synthetic media, allowing users to produce short AI-driven clips that can be distributed within a stream-based feed. OpenAI describes Sora not merely as another creative tool but as a social platform that merges AI advancements with entertainment. Users can create videos lasting up to 10 seconds, and the app features Cameo, which allows individuals to produce realistic AI representations of themselves in various virtual environments. OpenAI representatives have highlighted that Sora is equipped with safeguards to deter misuse.
“We’ve been paying a lot of attention here given the rate of growth and I am excited to come for a visit in September,” stated OpenAI CEO Sam Altman during the app’s launch. To tackle potential misuse, the company has implemented measures to prevent users from generating unauthorized videos of public figures or imitating others without consent. Sora includes a “liveness check,” requiring users to move their heads in specific directions and recite random numbers to confirm authenticity. This ensures that content based on likeness is created only when individuals voluntarily upload their AI-generated videos and provide permission. However, the release of Sora has sparked controversy, particularly regarding copyright issues.
OpenAI has established a policy that allows copyright holders to opt out of having their content featured in the app’s video feeds, mirroring the company’s previous position on image generation. Nonetheless, this policy is expected to encounter resistance in Hollywood, with sources indicating that Disney has already opted out of including its material in Sora’s ecosystem. Recently, OpenAI has been engaging in discussions with various studios and copyright holders to alleviate tensions. Earlier this year, the company urged the Trump administration to classify the use of copyrighted material in AI training as “fair use,” emphasizing its importance for American competitiveness and national security.
OpenAI argued in March, “Applying the fair use doctrine to AI is not only a matter of American competitiveness — it’s a matter of national security.” Without such clarity, OpenAI warned that U.S. firms might lose their competitive advantage against rivals in China. Market analysts are already evaluating the wider implications of Sora’s launch. Brian Nowak, an analyst at Morgan Stanley, remarked, “Our companies are in the business of competing for time and modifying consumer behaviour,” suggesting that Sora could emerge as a direct competitor to platforms like Meta, TikTok, and YouTube. With its blend of creative AI tools, stringent privacy safeguards, and a proactive approach to copyright, Sora is set to ignite substantial discussion.
Whether it will become a major player in social media or face challenges from regulators and rights holders is yet to be determined.