Yes—OpenAI launched a TikTok-like social video app, but it is no longer available. The company introduced Sora, an iOS app powered by Sora 2, on September 30, 2025. OpenAI now says the Sora product has been unavailable since April 26, 2026.
What OpenAI launched
Before launch, WIRED reported that OpenAI was preparing a stand-alone app with a vertical, swipe-to-scroll feed of AI-generated videos and features for liking, commenting, and remixing. That was reporting about the planned product, not a definitive description of every feature in the version that launched. WIRED’s September 29, 2025 report described the plan.
The next day, OpenAI announced Sora as a social iOS app powered by Sora 2. The company described tools for creating and remixing videos, discovering them through a customizable feed, and using a feature called “characters” to insert a user’s or friend’s likeness. OpenAI’s launch announcement is the primary source for those launch details.
What happened to Sora?
OpenAI’s current Sora 2 page states: “As of April 26, 2026, the Sora product is no longer available.” The Associated Press reported the shutdown announcement on March 24, 2026. In other words, Sora did launch, but the app is not a current option for making or watching videos through the Sora product.
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How OpenAI described safety and video provenance
OpenAI said Sora outputs included visible and invisible provenance signals. Its launch-era safety post described visible watermarks and C2PA metadata; the Sora 2 system card also discussed moving watermarks on downloaded videos, metadata, internal detection tools, classifiers, reporting mechanisms, and consent controls for likeness. These are safeguards OpenAI said it used, not independent proof that every video could be identified or that misuse was prevented. See OpenAI’s responsible-launch post and its Sora 2 system-card section on provenance and transparency.
OpenAI also described teen controls and restrictions on some harmful content. Its system card said service rules prohibited using another person’s likeness without permission, impersonation, and certain harmful or exploitative content. Those statements describe the company’s rules and controls; they do not establish how consistently they worked in practice.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why did OpenAI shut down Sora?
A definitive company-stated reason is not established in the cited shutdown coverage. The Associated Press reported concerns about realistic deepfakes and non-consensual images. TechCrunch noted that OpenAI’s March 24 shutdown post did not explain the reason. These reports provide context, but they do not show that safety criticism, weak demand, or any other single factor caused the shutdown. TechCrunch’s shutdown report covers the absence of an explanation in the company’s post.
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