Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, speaks at an event in Seattle, Washington, in May. (Photo: Chona Kasinger/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
OpenAI has made its new AI video generator, Sora, publicly available for anyone in the U.S. starting today. This tool, first unveiled in February, was initially only accessible to select users such as filmmakers, artists, and safety testers. However, OpenAI has now opened up access to the general public. Despite the excitement, OpenAI’s website faced high traffic, causing temporary issues with new sign-ups.
Sora is a text-to-video generator that allows users to create video clips simply by typing prompts. For instance, one sample prompt on OpenAI’s website asked for “a wide, serene shot of a family of woolly mammoths in an open desert,” which resulted in a video of three mammoths walking through sand dunes. OpenAI hopes that Sora will help users explore new creative possibilities and push the boundaries of video storytelling.
Though OpenAI is best known for its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, the company is expanding into other AI tools. It has already integrated the Dall-E image generator into ChatGPT and is working on a voice-cloning tool. With a valuation nearing $160 billion, OpenAI is a major player in the AI market.
Before the public release of Sora, tech reviewer Marques Brownlee tested the tool and shared mixed reactions. While he praised Sora’s ability to handle landscapes and stylistic effects, he noted that it struggled with realistic depictions of basic physics. Other filmmakers who previewed the tool also reported issues, such as strange visual defects.
OpenAI is still addressing regulatory concerns in the UK and EU, particularly related to the Online Safety Act and the Digital Services Act. The company had briefly suspended access to Sora after a group of artists accused OpenAI of attempting to "art wash" its product by associating with creatives to market the tool. These artists argued that Sora could harm their livelihoods by taking over tasks traditionally done by human creators.
While generative AI, including tools like Sora, has made impressive strides, it is not without flaws. Critics point out that AI-generated content, including videos, can sometimes be unrealistic, and the technology is still prone to errors and plagiarism. There are also concerns about the potential misuse of such technology for creating disinformation, scams, and deepfakes. For example, deepfake videos have already circulated featuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris.
In response to these concerns, OpenAI has stated that it will limit certain uploads, including those featuring specific individuals, and will block content containing nudity or harmful material, such as child sexual abuse and sexual deepfakes.
Sora will be available to those who subscribe to OpenAI’s paid tools in the U.S. and other countries, though it will not be available in the UK or Europe due to ongoing copyright issues.
