After quickly hitting the highest of the App Retailer in October, OpenAI’s video-generation app Sora is now struggling. New knowledge suggests the app is seeing declines in each app downloads and client spending, because the early hype in regards to the AI video social community wears off.
Powered by OpenAI’s video era mannequin Sora 2, the iOS model topped 100,000 installs on day one, regardless of being an invite-only expertise. It quickly hit the No. 1 spot on the U.S. App Retailer, and it reached the 1 million downloads milestone quicker than ChatGPT. On the time, Sora’s app was iOS-only and nonetheless required an invitation, making its success all of the extra spectacular.
Nevertheless, within the weeks since Sora’s cellular debut, the app has begun to lose traction.
In response to knowledge from market intelligence supplier Appfigures, Sora’s downloads dropped 32% month-over-month in December. That’s regarding as a result of the vacations are sometimes a boon for cellular apps, as persons are gifted new smartphones and sometimes have time without work from work, permitting them to put in new apps and video games.
The decline continued in January 2026, with installs falling 45% month-over-month, to succeed in 1.2 million. Shopper spending has dropped as effectively, down 32% month-over-month as of January, Appfigures mentioned.
OpenAI didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Like an AI-flavored TikTok, Sora permits customers to create AI movies utilizing prompts. A singular characteristic permits customers to forged themselves and their pals as fundamental characters within the movies, in the event that they select, whereas shared movies could be remixed by others who can customise them additional. The movies can even embrace music, sound results, and dialogue to finish the scenes customers create.
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In complete, Sora’s app has seen 9.6 million downloads throughout iOS and Android, and $1.4 million in client spending to this point. The U.S. accounts for almost all ($1.1 million) of that determine, adopted by Japan, Canada, South Korea, and Thailand.
This month, clients spent $367,000 in Sora’s app, down from December’s peak of $540,000.
On the U.S. App Retailer, Sora is not ranked within the Prime 100 General free apps. It presently sits at No. 101. Its highest rank is No. 7 within the Photograph & Video class. On Google Play within the U.S., the app fares worse, because it’s No. 181 total among the many high free apps.
These figures are nonetheless too excessive to jot down off the app as “lifeless,” however they’re worrying.
The decline is probably going attributable to a lot of components working in tandem.
For starters, Google’s Gemini, and notably its Nano Banana mannequin, has confirmed to be fierce competitors, serving to its Gemini AI app acquire recognition. Sora additionally competes with Meta AI, whose app launched an AI-powered Vibes video, boosting its October downloads, simply as Sora was taking off.
On the identical time, OpenAI has struggled with containing copyright infringement in Sora. Initially, the corporate instructed Hollywood studios and companies they must decide out of getting their IP utilized in Sora, which naturally noticed studio backlash. However with out sturdy copyright controls, customers had been capable of create AI movies utilizing in style characters, like SpongeBob and Pikachu, which drove adoption. To appease Hollywood and stave off authorized threats, Sora moved from an opt-out to an opt-in mannequin and elevated restrictions within the app.
Final month, the doorways opened up a bit extra as OpenAI introduced a cope with Disney, which allowed customers to generate movies in Sora with its characters. However up to now, that information hasn’t elevated Sora installs or client spending. (It’s additionally not essentially an excellent search for Disney, contemplating among the wicked movies Sora customers had made with its characters.)
Sora 2 was launched to vital hype, with some calling it a disruption to social media and the TikTok of AI. However many customers had little interest in letting others — even their pals — use their likeness to make AI movies. With out acquainted faces and with limits on utilizing business IP, individuals’s curiosity in Sora appears to have pale. Whether or not the app can stage a comeback with extra copyright offers or new options stays to be seen.
