Sora was OpenAI's tool for generating short video clips from a text description or uploaded image. OpenAI announced on March 24, 2026 that it is shutting down Sora entirely — including the app and API — citing the need to reallocate computing resources toward higher-priority products. The shutdown comes just three months after a landmark deal with Disney, which is also now cancelled.

Sora launched publicly in December 2024, with a standalone app following in September 2025 and a second-generation Sora 2 model that added synchronized audio. The app reached the top of Apple's App Store on launch day. It was discontinued on March 24, 2026, with OpenAI citing compute costs and a strategic pivot toward coding, reasoning, and business-focused products ahead of an anticipated IPO. OpenAI stated that the Sora research team will continue work on "world simulation research to advance robotics" rather than consumer video generation. Disney's $1 billion investment in OpenAI — which had centered entirely on Sora — was confirmed cancelled; according to Deadline, no money had actually changed hands as the deal was never finalized. OpenAI said it will share timelines for app and API shutdown and details on preserving user-created content.