OpenAI announced Tuesday it will discontinue Sora, its groundbreaking generative AI video app launched last year, catching users and partners off-guard. “We’re saying goodbye to Sora,” the team stated, thanking creators while promising timelines for app/API wind-down and work preservation details soon. No specific reason was given, though ChatGPT’s text-to-video feature will also end.
The move torpedoes a major December 2025 pact with Disney, which planned a $1 billion stake in OpenAI and licensed over 200 characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars for fan-inspired Sora videos slated for Disney+ in 2026. Disney quickly responded: “We respect OpenAI’s decision to exit video generation… and will continue engaging AI platforms responsibly while respecting IP and creators’ rights.”
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Sora 2, released September 2025, produced hyper-realistic videos from text prompts but ignited Hollywood fury over its opt-out IP training model. Studio Ghibli’s CODA demanded OpenAI halt use of Japanese content, while Disney issued cease-and-desist letters to Google, Meta, and Character.AI, plus lawsuits against Midjourney and Minimax, for alleged infringement.
Disney had accused Google of “massive scale” violations via AI-generated character videos, prompting removals. Now free from Sora ties, Disney eyes alternative AI tools amid rapid industry shifts.
