OpenAI

OpenAI shutting down Sora video generation app, but without explaining why

Ben Schoon | Mar 24 2026 - 6:55 pm PT

OpenAI has announced that its AI video generation app, Sora, is shutting down, and there’s no explanation as to why.

In a post on Twitter/X, OpenAI confirmed that Sora is shutting down – the standalone app, that is. The post initially said Sora as a whole, but was edited to clarify “Sora app.” Presumably, video generation will remain available elsewhere.

We’re saying goodbye to Sora. To everyone who created with Sora, shared it, and built community around it: thank you. What you made with Sora mattered, and we know this news is disappointing.

We’ll share more soon, including timelines for the app and API and details on preserving your work.

The explanation as to why is not mentioned at all, though NBC News speculates that the “closure of the resource-intensive AI app comes ahead of an expected initial public stock offering from OpenAI.”

Sora launched in the second half of 2024, but only expanded widely in 2025. The Android app wasn’t released until November 2025 following updates to the Sora model that produced even more realistic video generations.

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The news also completely shuts down a deal previously made between Disney and OpenAI, which would have allowed Sora to use Disney IP in user-prompted videos. The deal would have also expanded to ChatGPT image generation, but the deal is now dead. Disney said in a statement to Variety:

As the nascent AI field advances rapidly, we respect OpenAI’s decision to exit the video generation business and to shift its priorities elsewhere. We appreciate the constructive collaboration between our teams and what we learned from it, and we will continue to engage with AI platforms to find new ways to meet fans where they are while responsibly embracing new technologies that respect IP and the rights of creators.