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OpenAI has announced that it’s pulling the plug on its AI video-generation app Sora.

Getting into it: In an announcement, OpenAI said it is discontinuing Sora so it can refocus resources on other priorities, including more advanced AI systems like coding, reasoning, and robotics. The company indicated that the high computational demands of video generation, combined with limited chip supply, made it necessary to shift toward areas with greater long-term impact, adding that it will share further details about timelines and how users can preserve their work.

The decision also effectively ends a high-profile partnership with Disney, which had agreed to a three-year deal allowing Sora to generate videos using Disney’s characters, alongside a planned $1 billion investment. Disney said it “respects OpenAI’s decision” to exit the video-generation space and shift priorities, noting the collaboration had been constructive but confirming it will now explore other AI partnerships that better safeguard intellectual property and creators’ rights.

Sora’s rapid rise was accompanied by mounting controversy, particularly around copyright and deepfake concerns. Users were able to generate highly realistic videos featuring recognizable characters, celebrities, and public figures, sometimes without consent, raising alarm across Hollywood and among regulators. These capabilities intensified fears that AI video tools could displace creative workers while enabling misuse of likenesses, copyrighted material, and sensitive content.

Beyond entertainment, experts have warned that tools like Sora have contributed to the spread of misinformation and propaganda, especially during conflicts. In the conflict with Iran, AI-generated videos have falsely depicted missile strikes, burning landmarks, and battlefield damage, which have been widely circulated online and racked up millions of views.

In one scenario, fabricated clips even appeared to show US soldiers being captured in Iran.