OpenAI’s Sora surges past one million downloads in five days

• OpenAI’s Sora hit one million downloads fast.
• Users are flocking to Sora to make short AI videos and test its creative tools.

OpenAI’s new short-form video app, Sora, is off to a fast start. The app, which lets users create and browse AI-generated videos, has already passed one million downloads in less than five days since its launch.

Bill Peebles, who leads the Sora team at OpenAI, said on Wednesday that the app’s growth has been faster than ChatGPT’s early rollout — a surprising feat given that Sora is invite-only and currently available only in the United States and Canada.

“Team working hard to keep up with surging growth,” Peebles wrote on X, adding that more updates and fixes are on the way.

The app launched for iOS on September 30introducing a social platform for AI video creation. Users can scroll through a feed of short clips made with OpenAI’s new Sora 2 model or generate their own by typing a simple text prompt. The app also features “cameos,” a tool that lets users insert their own likeness — or a friend’s — into an AI video.

Despite the limited rollout, the app’s viral appeal is clear. Users have flooded Sora with everything from animated memes to uncanny recreations of film scenes and brand mascots. Many of the videos circulating online feature recognisable characters reimagined through Sora’s generative engine — sometimes in ways that raise eyebrows.

That’s where the controversy begins.

Sora’s surge in popularity has already triggered copyright concerns after users began uploading videos featuring protected characters from shows like SpongeBob SquarePants, Rick and Mortyand South Park. These AI-generated versions often alter familiar storylines or place the characters in new, sometimes inappropriate contexts.

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has taken notice. In a statement, the group said that videos infringing on its members’ works “have proliferated on OpenAI’s service,” urging the company to take “immediate and decisive action” to remove them.

In response, OpenAI has started giving copyright holders more control over how their characters and likenesses appear on Sora. The company has also introduced settings allowing users to specify how their own likeness can be used in the app.

The moderation system, however, is still a work in progress. Some users have complained about overblocking — where harmless content gets removed or flagged — prompting Peebles to say the team is addressing the issue as part of upcoming updates.

Despite these challenges, Sora’s rapid adoption underscores how eager users are to experiment with AI-generated video. Its mix of social sharing, creative tools, and accessibility could make it one of the most talked-about AI platforms since ChatGPT — even as it faces growing scrutiny over copyright and content control.

For now, Sora remains available only to invited users in North America. But with its early growth, OpenAI seems poised to push deeper into social media territory — where creativity, community, and controversy often collide.

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