OpenAI shuts down viral AI video app Sora amid deepfake concerns

The company behind ChatGPT is discontinuing the short-form video platform it launched last fall.

Mar. 25, 2026 at 5:34am by Ben Kaplan

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OpenAI announced it is shutting down its Sora app, a social media platform that allowed users to create short-form videos generated by artificial intelligence. The app went viral last year but also raised alarms about the potential for nonconsensual deepfakes and other harmful AI-generated content.

Why it matters

Sora's closure highlights the challenges tech companies face in balancing innovation with responsible development of AI tools that could be misused. The app's popularity demonstrated strong consumer interest in AI-powered content creation, but also sparked concerns from advocacy groups, academics, and experts about the dangers of unchecked AI video generation.

The details

OpenAI released Sora in September 2025 as an attempt to capture the attention and advertising revenue of the short-form video market dominated by apps like TikTok and Instagram. However, the company faced growing criticism about the potential for Sora to enable the creation of nonconsensual deepfakes and other harmful AI-generated content. OpenAI was forced to crack down on certain types of AI-generated videos, such as those depicting public figures in inappropriate ways, but ultimately decided to shut down the app entirely.

  • OpenAI released the Sora app in September 2025.
  • OpenAI announced it was shutting down Sora on March 25, 2026.

The players

OpenAI

The artificial intelligence research company that developed the popular ChatGPT language model and launched the Sora short-form video app.

Disney

The entertainment conglomerate that had a deal with OpenAI to bring its characters to the Sora app.

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What they’re saying

“What you made with Sora mattered, and we know this news is disappointing.”

— OpenAI

“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.”

— Disney

What’s next

OpenAI has said it will share more information soon about how users can preserve the content they created on the Sora app before it is shut down.

The takeaway

The closure of Sora highlights the ongoing challenges tech companies face in developing AI-powered tools that balance innovation with responsible safeguards against potential misuse and harm. As AI capabilities continue to advance, companies will need to navigate these complex issues carefully to build trust with users and policymakers.