Creative GenerationConsumer FacingRetracted
Reviewed and published by trentmaziarz, March 24, 2026. Discovered and drafted by our automated research pipeline.
OpenAI discontinued Sora, a video generation tool that let users type a text prompt or upload an image to produce a short video clip. It launched in December 2024 for ChatGPT Plus and Pro subscribers, excluding the UK, Switzerland, and the European Economic Area. A second generation, Sora 2, added synchronized audio and improved physics before the product was shut down in April 2026.
Details
The original Sora generated videos up to 20 seconds long at up to 1080p resolution in widescreen, vertical, or square formats, with 1080p and 20-second clips limited to Pro subscribers. Sora 2, released September 30, 2025, added improved physics accuracy, synchronized dialogue and sound effects, and a Cameo feature that let users insert themselves into generated scenes. On December 11, 2025, Disney announced a $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI and a three-year licensing agreement that allowed Sora 2 users to generate videos featuring over 200 characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars properties. OpenAI discontinued the Sora web and app experiences on April 26, 2026, with the Sora API scheduled to be discontinued on September 24, 2026.
Products affected
ChatGPT (PlusPro)sora.comSora iOS appOpenAI Videos API
Sources & Evidence
Community Report
News Article
Company Disclosure
Other practices by OpenAI
Creative GenOpenAI offered Sora, an AI video generation tool that produced short video clips from text prompts or uploaded images, to ChatGPT Plus and Pro subscribers starting December 2024; the product was discontinued in a phased shutdown, with the app and web closing on April 26, 2026 and the API scheduled to close on September 24, 2026. OpenAI announced the discontinuation on March 24, 2026, with reporting pointing to high compute costs and a strategic shift toward coding and enterprise products. A three-year licensing deal signed in December 2025 with The Walt Disney Company, under which Disney had committed a $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI, lapsed when the product shut down before the partnership terms were executed.OtherOpenAI deployed ChatGPT for US government and defense use through its OpenAI for Government platform, including a $200 million Pentagon contract and deployment on the DoD's GenAI.mil platform for approximately 3 million personnel.RecommendationOpenAI deployed contextual ads in ChatGPT starting February 9, 2026, showing sponsored content to free-tier users based on the topics of their current conversation.
Have evidence about OpenAI's AI practices? Submit a report.
Report a Sighting →