OpenAI's Sora app is an AI-powered video creation platform capable of simultaneously generating realistic video and audio from text prompts or images. In September 2025, OpenAI unveiled a newly improved model, Sora 2, along with a standalone iOS app, "Sora," featuring this model.
Users can create creative videos using the "Cameo" feature, which seamlessly inserts their own or a friend's face and voice into AI-generated videos. These videos can be remixed, transformed into various styles, and shared with other users on social feeds. The service is expanding on an invitation-only basis, emphasizing a balance between creation and consumption and safe content management.
OpenAI's Sora app's cloud character is inspired by the Japanese word for sky (空, Sora), from which its name originates. It symbolizes infinite creative potential and visually represents the "boundless creation" that emerges when users transform text prompts into real-world images. The ever-changing yet beautiful image of the sky persuasively supports this concept.
However, it's somewhat ambiguous how the "Japanese-derived name" relates to OpenAI's global identity. In terms of brand identity, it also takes a significantly different direction from OpenAI's existing visual language. The logo evokes the outline of ChatGPT, but also incorporates a cloud motif symbolizing the sky and sparkling eyes reminiscent of TikTok and gaming culture. While the overall aesthetic is kawaii and reminiscent of a game character's playfulness, the visual continuity with existing OpenAI services is weak.
The video features a cloud character, similar to the early TikTok watermark, whose position within the scene constantly shifts, making it difficult for users to directly control it. This creates a signature and unique mark on the resulting image.
As a result, Sora's cloud character makes a friendly and cheerful impression, but it's unclear how much of the OpenAI brand identity or philosophy it embodies.
The core of this app is AI video creation and sharing. Previously, OpenAI's generative media relied on images and videos created through ChatGPT to naturally spread across the internet. However, this time, based on Sora, the company is attempting to build a platform that allows videos to be distributed directly.
This app makes it easy to create short-form videos. The interface is nearly identical to existing short-form services, making it easy to use. Simply browse content in your feed and tap the plus icon in the center to create a video. Its unique feature is its seamless integration of the short-form video browsing and uploading experience with a prompt-based video creation process. It's designed to easily modify and remix videos created by other users, allowing for free creation and reinterpretation.
One of the app's most notable features is "Cameo." Users upload a short video or recording featuring their face and voice, and the AI learns from it to appear in subsequent videos. In fact, a meme video featuring Sam Altman's face went viral.
However, the cameo feature requires user consent and authentication, and you can delete videos containing your AI version or revoke access at any time. You can also set restrictions to prevent your AI version from appearing in content containing political context or inappropriate remarks.
However, it remains to be seen whether users will actively utilize these controls. In reality, most users use apps for simple fun rather than detailed configuration. Consequently, it's difficult to fully predict or control how their data will be used.
Sora is a short-form social networking service centered around AI-generated videos. Users of short-form products want content they can enjoy without having to think too deeply. The source or authenticity of the video likely isn't a major concern. What matters is entertainment and filling their time.
Fake news and misinformation were problems even in the early days of the internet, but over time, a unique ecosystem for verification emerged. The problem of misinformation in the AI ecosystem will gradually improve over time.
However, it's still unclear why I should share my videos with others. Existing short-form platforms fundamentally follow the logic of broadcast media: algorithms disseminate engaging content that appeals to a large audience. The AI-generated character videos that have recently emerged on YouTube could potentially spread within this short-form ecosystem.
However, the success of these platforms hinges more on scale and network effects than on ease of production. Ultimately, they're likely to be overshadowed by giant platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. This is because the market is structured around a winner-take-all system, not a shared one.
So why is OpenAI taking on this challenge? It's not simply about becoming the number one platform. Their goal is "data." From OpenAI's perspective, a structure where users upload photos of their faces and voices, and other users remix and modify them, is the ideal data ecosystem.
The performance of AI ultimately depends on the diversity and abundance of data available. The data available through smartphones and the internet has already reached its limits. Therefore, OpenAI is moving toward encouraging users to voluntarily generate and share data.
Despite growing concerns about copyright and privacy, the AI industry is not fundamentally halting its progress. While policies and systems will gradually be refined, the AI rush is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. Going forward, more AI companies will develop user-centric services to secure data. As AI-powered software development becomes increasingly easier, established AI companies are increasingly dominating the market, rather than new startups emerging.
