OpenAI has officially launched its highly anticipated text-to-video AI model, Sora, as part of its 12-day “Ship-mas” product release event.
Available today on Sora.com for ChatGPT subscribers in the US and several other countries, the model is designed to generate videos from text prompts. Alongside the release, OpenAI introduced an upgraded version, Sora Turbo, which boasts enhanced features such as animating images, remixing videos, and creating videos directly from text.
Subscription Plans and Pricing
To access Sora’s advanced features, users must have a ChatGPT subscription. The $20 per month ChatGPT Plus plan allows subscribers to generate up to 50 priority videos (1,000 credits) at a resolution of 720p, with video durations of up to 5 seconds.
For $200 per month, the ChatGPT Pro plan offers unlimited video generation, 500 priority videos, higher resolution (up to 1080p), longer video durations (up to 20 seconds), and additional perks, such as watermark-free downloads and the ability to generate up to five videos simultaneously.
New Features and Capabilities
OpenAI showcased Sora’s features during a livestream event earlier today. A key addition is the new explore page, where users can browse AI-generated videos created by the community. There’s also a storyboard tool that allows users to create videos based on a sequence of text prompts.
One of Sora’s standout features is its ability to animate still images into video. OpenAI also introduced a remix tool, enabling users to refine and modify videos generated by Sora using text-based instructions. Additionally, the blend function lets users seamlessly combine two scenes using AI.
OpenAI has implemented measures to ensure that content uploaded to the platform adheres to ethical standards. Users must agree that their uploads do not include explicit, violent, or copyrighted content, nor feature individuals under 18. Sora-generated videos will also include watermarks and C2PA metadata to indicate they were created by AI.
Addressing Concerns and Challenges
Rohan Sahai, Sora’s product lead, acknowledged the challenges in moderating content while maintaining creative freedom. He explained during the livestream, “We have a big target on our back as OpenAI. We want to prevent illegal activity, but we also want to foster creativity. We know this is an ongoing challenge, and we might not get it perfect from day one.”
Sora’s moderation system is designed to prevent misuse of the platform, and OpenAI encourages users to provide feedback if content filtering fails. Sahai emphasized that OpenAI is taking a cautious approach, focusing on safety and compliance.
Global Availability and Future Expansion
While Sora is available in the US and many other countries, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman mentioned that it may take longer for the model to become available in much of Europe and the UK. For users without a ChatGPT subscription, the explore page will remain accessible to browse AI-generated videos from other users.
Sora’s release follows controversy, as a group of artists involved in OpenAI’s alpha testing program leaked details about the product, accusing the company of using their work for “unpaid R&D and PR.” The artists’ protest centers on claims that they were not compensated for their contributions to the model’s development.
