OpenAI discontinues Sora video generation app, Disney pulls out of $1 billion investment deal

The shutdown of the app is reportedly part of a broader strategic shift away from video generation in favor of productivity apps.

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The bell has tolled for Sora, OpenAI's video generation tool that once cranked out a very popular clip of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stealing graphics cards from Target .

OpenAI announced that it is "saying goodbye" to the tool, less than six months after the launch of Sora 2 appeared to cause significant nervous sweating among Hollywood executives.

A Wall Street Journal report says the end of the Sora app is part of a broader shift that will see the company move away from products that use its video models.

A version of Sora for developers is also being discontinued, according to the report, and video functionality in ChatGPT will also no longer be supported.

OpenAI is instead looking to focus its effort and resources on productivity tools, such as the desktop "superapp" that will combine ChatGPT, the Codex coding platform, and Atlas web browser.

Disney, on the other hand, announced a deal to invest $1 billion into OpenAI , and to license its characters for use in Sora's slop.

That's now fallen by the wayside, however, as a report by The Hollywood Reporter says Disney has pulled out of that deal following the end of Sora.

"As the nascent AI field advances rapidly, we respect OpenAI’s decision to exit the video generation business and to shift its priorities elsewhere," a Disney rep told the site.

"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."
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Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80.

From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters.

He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer.

He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill.

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