OpenAI has announced the release of its new AI video app, Sora, which allows users to generate and share short AI videos. The app can spin content from copyrighted material and publish it in social media–style feeds.
According to company officials, copyright holders such as television and film studios must actively opt out if they do not want their works to appear. This policy mirrors OpenAI’s earlier approach to AI image generation. However, it is already raising concerns across Hollywood.
OpenAI has been in discussions with copyright holders in recent weeks. Reports suggest that Disney is among the first major studios to opt out. Earlier this year, the company also pushed the Trump administration to declare that using copyrighted content to train AI models falls under the legal principle of “fair use.” OpenAI argued that this was critical for U.S. competitiveness and national security, warning that without such a framework, American AI firms could lose ground to China.
The company has introduced safeguards to prevent misuse. For example, people cannot create AI videos of public figures or other users without permission. A “liveness check” feature requires users to move their heads and recite random numbers before uploading likeness-based content. Users will also have the ability to preview drafts of videos that feature their image.
Videos in Sora can last up to 10 seconds. The app also includes a feature called Cameo, which allows people to create realistic AI avatars of themselves and place them inside generated scenes.
Industry analysts say Sora could become a strong competitor to major social media platforms such as TikTok, Meta, and YouTube. “Our companies compete for consumer time and attention,” Morgan Stanley analyst Brian Nowak said, adding that Sora could reshape digital content markets.
