Artificial Intelligence (AI)

OpenAI Launches Sora: AI Video Generation

Ken Metral

Ken Metral

— 3 min read
OpenAI Launches Sora: AI Video Generation
Credit: Super Pup's Skyline Watch/OpenAI, Inc.

OpenAI has officially launched Sora, its highly anticipated text-to-video AI model, as part of its 12-day “ship-mas” product release series. The tool is available to ChatGPT subscribers across the US and “most other countries,” offering a revolutionary way to generate AI-powered videos. Alongside the launch, OpenAI introduced Sora Turbo, an enhanced model with additional features.

Sora and Its Subscription Plans

Sora enables users to generate videos from text prompts, animate images, and remix existing videos with a simple interface. Here’s how the subscription plans break down:

ChatGPT Plus ($20/month):

    • 50 priority videos (1,000 credits).
    • Resolutions up to 720p.
    • Videos up to 5 seconds in length.

ChatGPT Pro ($200/month):

    • Unlimited generations.
    • 500 priority videos.
    • Resolutions up to 1080p.
    • Video durations extended to 20 seconds.
    • Videos can be downloaded without watermarks.
    • Up to five simultaneous video generations.

The Pro plan is geared toward creators looking for higher-quality outputs and professional use cases.

Key Features of Sora Turbo

  • Explore Feed: Browse AI-generated videos from the community for inspiration.
  • Storyboards: Generate videos based on a sequence of text prompts, adding narrative flow.
  • Remix Tool: Edit Sora’s video outputs with new prompts for refined results.
  • Blend Scenes: Merge two separate AI-generated scenes seamlessly.
  • Image-to-Video Conversion: Animate static photos into dynamic visuals.

During the launch livestream, OpenAI demonstrated these features, showing how creators can use Sora to bring their ideas to life with unprecedented ease.

AI-Generated Videos and Moderation

OpenAI has implemented visible watermarks and C2PA metadata to identify AI-generated videos created with Sora. Before uploading content, users must agree to guidelines that prohibit:

  • Content featuring minors under 18.
  • Explicit or violent material.
  • Copyrighted content.

Any misuse of the platform could result in account suspension or bans.

Aditya Ramesh, OpenAI’s VP of Research, addressed concerns around misuse during the livestream:

“We want to prevent illegal activity of Sora, but we also want to balance that with creative expression... we’re starting a little conservative.”

Availability and Restrictions

While Sora is live in the US and many other countries today, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman noted that it may “be a while” before Sora launches in Europe and the UK, citing regional regulations and rollout complexities.

For non-subscribers, OpenAI has made the community video feed accessible, allowing users to view AI-generated videos created by others.

Background and Challenges

The release comes shortly after controversy surrounding OpenAI’s alpha testing phase. A group of artists leaked the product last week, claiming they were used for “unpaid R&D and PR.” Despite these challenges, OpenAI has pushed forward with the public launch of Sora.

The Future of Sora

Sora represents OpenAI’s next big leap in generative AI, following its earlier advancements in ChatGPT. By blending video creation, animation, and community interaction, Sora is poised to reshape how creators, businesses, and storytellers produce dynamic visual content.

For now, all eyes are on OpenAI as it navigates balancing creative freedom, moderation, and technical innovation with Sora’s public rollout.

Read more