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ChatGPT Maker OpenAI Shuts Down Viral AI Video App Sora
OpenAI Discontinues 'Sora' App After Six Months
ChatGPT maker OpenAI has announced the shutdown of its AI-generated short video app, Sora. The platform, which gained significant traction last fall, is ceasing operations just six months after its launch. OpenAI shared a brief statement on X (formerly Twitter) confirming the discontinuation and thanking users, but did not provide a specific reason for the move. Sora garnered mainstream attention after its second-generation model and standalone app launched last September, quickly topping iOS Photo and Video charts with a range of viral clips, from photorealistic historical figures to surreal pop culture mashups.
Deepfake Concerns and Strategic Business Reprioritization
Despite its popularity, the Sora app faced increasing backlash over deepfakes, misinformation, and the unauthorized use of celebrity likenesses and copyrighted material. Advocacy groups and academics warned of risks, including nonconsensual imagery and the erosion of creative jobs, leading OpenAI to restrict AI depictions of public figures such as Michael Jackson and Martin Luther King Jr. The shutdown also comes ahead of a potential IPO for OpenAI later this year. Analysts view the move as a cost-cutting measure, as AI video generation demands expensive computing power, for which OpenAI has reportedly struggled to find a sustainable business model. Reports suggest an internal shift in priorities towards more commercially viable areas, such as AI 'co-workers' and robotics.
*Source: RT News (2026-03-25)*
