OpenAI Abandons Sora: A Foiled Video Revolution

OpenAI Ends Sora: A Broken Promise

On March 24, 2026, OpenAI announced the permanent closure of Sora, its AI video generator, just six months after its grand launch. This decision was communicated through a farewell message on the X network (formerly Twitter) by the official Sora team. This project, which was supposed to revolutionize the film industry, faced insurmountable obstacles related to profitability and market realities.

Sora had a spectacular launch, even surpassing ChatGPT by quickly reaching one million downloads. However, the initial excitement faded rapidly. By January 2026, downloads plummeted dramatically, recording a 45% drop compared to the previous month. The user retention rate, a crucial success indicator, collapsed to less than 8% after 30 days of use, well below the standards for a successful app.

Unsustainable Costs and a Failed Partnership

The lack of user engagement had disastrous financial consequences for OpenAI. The infrastructure costs to operate Sora were astronomical, reaching $15 million per day. This situation was untenable for the company, which faced colossal expenses for a little-used service.

One of the most visible impacts of Sora's closure is the debacle with Disney. The previous December, Disney had announced a $1 billion investment in OpenAI, with a licensing agreement allowing the integration of over 200 characters from its franchises, such as Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar, into videos generated by Sora. However, this investment never materialized, as OpenAI shifted its strategic direction, thereby canceling this historic agreement.

Preparing for an IPO

The closure of Sora is part of a broader strategy by OpenAI to prepare for its planned IPO in the fourth quarter of 2026. To attract investors, the company must demonstrate its ability to be profitable. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has reorganized the company's priorities to focus on more lucrative projects.

During an internal meeting, Fidji Simo, recently appointed head of the AGI Deployment division, emphasized that the company needed to refocus on its core activities and avoid distractions, which she referred to as "side quests." This clear message aims to redirect efforts toward revenue-generating activities.

A Future Focused on B2B

With the closure of Sora, OpenAI is redirecting its resources toward more profitable B2B projects. The Sora engineering team is not being laid off but reassigned to long-term projects, particularly in the field of robotics. This decision, while strategic, has drawn criticism from the community, which laments the abandonment of consumer-focused projects.

OpenAI recently announced the merger of its ChatGPT, Codex, and web browser applications into a "Super-app." This initiative aims to counter competitors like Anthropic, which is gaining ground in the enterprise market. Despite the closure of Sora, other players like Google, Runway, and Luma continue to develop AI video solutions. For OpenAI, however, the future seems to be shaping up around profitability and optimizing services for businesses.