OpenAI Unveils Sora 2 and Social App Allowing Users to Star in AI-Generated Videos
OpenAI has launched Sora 2, its most advanced video and audio generation system to date, alongside a new social app that brings AI-created video content to a TikTok-style feed.
The app, also called Sora, allows users to insert themselves into AI-generated scenes with a feature named “cameos,” offering both voice and visual likeness in shared videos.
Sora 2 Brings Realistic Physics and Complex Motion to AI Videos
Sora 2 represents a major step forward in AI video realism.
Unlike previous models that often “morph objects and deform reality” to satisfy text prompts, Sora 2 follows the laws of physics more closely.
OpenAI highlighted examples such as beach volleyball games, skateboard tricks, gymnastics routines, and diving board cannonball jumps, all demonstrating accurate motion and plausible outcomes.
“Prior video models are overoptimistic — they will morph objects and deform reality to successfully execute upon a text prompt. For example, if a basketball player misses a shot, the ball may spontaneously teleport to the hoop. In Sora 2, if a basketball player misses a shot, it will rebound off the backboard.”
The model can handle multi-shot instructions while maintaining consistent world state and visual style, whether cinematic, realistic, or anime.
It also produces audio elements like dialogue, background sounds, and sound effects in synchronisation with the visuals.
Cameos Let Users Become Part of AI Videos
The Sora app introduces a new way to interact with AI-generated content.
Through “cameos,” users can upload a one-time video and audio recording to verify their appearance and voice, enabling them to appear in any generated scene.
Friends can be included, with permissions managed by the user, allowing collaborative videos featuring multiple people.
OpenAI described the feature as a “natural evolution in communication—progressing from text to emojis to voice notes to immersive video cameos.”
Videos created on the app can be shared in a feed resembling TikTok or Instagram Reels.
Recommendations in the feed are influenced by user activity, location, past engagement, and even ChatGPT conversation history, though this data can be turned off.
Parental controls limit viewing and messaging for teens, including infinite scroll restrictions and algorithmic personalisation settings.
Access and Usage Details for Sora and Sora 2
The Sora app is currently invite-only in the United States and Canada, with broader availability planned.
The Sora 2 video generator is initially free with generous limits, although usage depends on computing capacity.
ChatGPT Pro users will gain access to a higher-quality Sora 2 Pro model, while Sora 1 Turbo remains available for legacy content.
All generated videos, including drafts, remain accessible to the cameo subject, who can revoke permissions or delete content at any time.
Competition and Industry Context for AI Video Generation
Sora 2 enters a competitive field that includes Google, Runway AI, and Midjourney, all producing short video clips rapidly.
Meta recently launched its own AI video feed, Vibes, on the Meta AI app, encouraging user experimentation with AI-generated visuals.
OpenAI faces the dual challenge of offering realistic video while managing the societal and environmental impacts of large-scale AI computation, particularly concerns around screen time, addiction, and deceptive content.
Can AI Video and Social Apps Change How We Create and Share Content?
OpenAI’s Sora 2 and the Sora social app mark an ambitious attempt to combine AI realism with interactive social features.
While the technology shows impressive fidelity and control, Coinlive notes that widespread adoption faces hurdles in computing demands, user safety, and content misuse.
The “cameos” concept is compelling, but allowing users to inject their likeness into AI-generated content carries risks that extend beyond typical social media misuse.
The project’s success will hinge not just on technical innovation but on trust, ethical moderation, and engagement sustainability, raising questions about whether such platforms can reshape digital creation without compromising user wellbeing.
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