OpenAI shuts down deepfake app Sora after just 6 months
OpenAI has decided to pull the plug on Sora, its AI-powered social app that let people create deepfake videos with a "cameos" feature.
The shutdown comes just six months after launch, following struggles to keep users interested and growing concerns about the legal and ethical side of deepfakes.
Controversies and declining interest led to the shutdown
Sora ran into trouble when its "cameos" (later called "characters") let users make unauthorized deepfakes of public figures, drawing heavy criticism; the company also faced a trademark lawsuit from Cameo over the feature's name, after which it was renamed "characters."
Even though it hit 3.3 million downloads last November, downloads fell from about 3,332,200 in November to about 1,128,700 by February 2026.
Sora also missed out on a potential $1 billion Disney deal that would have brought famous characters into the app, highlighting how tough it is to run AI platforms responsibly.