OpenAI's Sora App Tops U.S. App Store Charts Despite Invite-Only Access
Key Points
- Sora reached the #1 spot on the U.S. App Store within two days of launch.
- The app recorded more than 164,000 installs in its first 48 hours.
- It combines an AI video‑creation engine with a social remix feed.
- Access is limited to invited users, and the invite‑only model remains in place.
- Built‑in guardrails include watermarking and bans on copyrighted or unsafe content.
- OpenAI updated its content policies after early instances of misuse.
- Monetization plans are hinted at, suggesting Sora could become a new revenue stream.
OpenAI’s new Sora app, an AI‑powered video‑creation platform with a social remix feed, quickly rose to the number‑one spot on the U.S. App Store. Within two days it logged more than 164,000 installs, surpassing other AI apps despite being limited to invited users. The app combines a cutting‑edge video model, watermarking, and strict content guardrails, and its rapid adoption hints at a potential new revenue pillar for OpenAI.
Rapid Rise to the Top
OpenAI’s Sora app became the most downloaded application on Apple’s U.S. App Store shortly after its launch, achieving over 164,000 installations in the first two days. The surge outpaced rival AI offerings, including OpenAI’s own ChatGPT, and placed Sora ahead of other high‑profile releases such as Claude and Microsoft Copilot. Day‑one figures showed 56,000 downloads, a pace comparable to the strongest launches in the AI space.
Core Features and User Experience
Sora is marketed as an AI video‑maker that lets users generate short clips and share them on a built‑in social feed designed for remixing. The platform supports the latest Sora 2 model, enabling users to upload personal footage and create AI‑driven avatars that appear in new videos. Guardrails are built into the service: all uploads receive a watermark, and the app blocks a range of disallowed prompts, including copyrighted characters, celebrity likenesses, and dangerous visual stunts. After early misuse, OpenAI updated its content policies to reinforce these protections.
Invite‑Only Model and Future Outlook
Access to Sora remains limited to invited users, a strategy that OpenAI has indicated may continue for the foreseeable future. While the invite‑only approach restricts immediate widespread use, the app’s download numbers suggest strong consumer interest. OpenAI has hinted at upcoming monetization features, positioning Sora as a potential new pillar of its business beyond traditional productivity‑oriented tools like ChatGPT.
Overall, the rapid adoption of Sora highlights a growing appetite for AI‑generated video content and social sharing, even as the company balances user enthusiasm with stringent safety measures.