OpenAI Abruptly Discontinues Sora Video App, Disney Partnership Falls Through
In a surprising turn of events, OpenAI disclosed on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, that it is discontinuing Sora, its AI-driven video creation app reminiscent of TikTok, a mere six months post-launch. The company refrained from providing a detailed timeline or specific reasons for the discontinuation in its succinct social media announcement.
The unexpected shutdown brought a premature end to a lucrative $1 billion partnership with Disney, which was unveiled only three months prior. As per sources, Disney teams were engrossed in a Sora project on Monday evening when they were informed, just 30 minutes post their meeting, that OpenAI was abandoning the tool entirely. An insider referred to the incident as “a significant rug-pull.”
The app, which saw its launch in September 2025, initially garnered substantial interest with a staggering 3.3 million downloads at its zenith in November. However, downloads dwindled to approximately 1.1 million by February, despite generating an impressive $2.1 million from in-app purchases. This move is indicative of OpenAI’s strategic pivot towards more profitable ventures such as coding tools and corporate clientele, as the company gears up for a potential stock market debut later this year. The underlying Sora 2 technology, however, remains accessible behind ChatGPT’s paywall.
Source: Al Jazeera