In an unexpected move, OpenAI announced the shutdown of the “Sora” application, which specializes in creating videos using artificial intelligence. This decision caused widespread shock among users and developers, especially since the application was considered one of the company’s most important projects in the field of creative artificial intelligence.
The “Sora” application was launched in late 2024 as a model capable of converting texts into realistic video clips, and then the second version of it was released in September 2025 with social features inspired by short video platforms. The application achieved rapid spread in its beginnings, with the number of downloads reaching approximately one million, but this momentum declined significantly later.
Recent reports indicate that the decision to close was due to economic and strategic reasons, as the application did not achieve the expected level of usage, while its operating costs were very high, especially with the need for huge computing capabilities for video production, which was estimated at about one million dollars per day.
This decision also comes after the failure of a large agreement that the company had concluded with “The Walt Disney Company,” worth approximately one billion dollars, to use characters from its works within the content of the application, in a move that was seen as helping in its spread in the digital entertainment market.
The company confirmed that it will continue to invest in artificial intelligence technologies, redirecting its resources towards more stable and profitable products, while maintaining video capabilities within its main platforms rather than separate applications.
The closure of Sora is an example of the difficulties facing advanced AI projects, which require a careful balance between technical sophistication, operational costs, and market potential.
