OpenAI’s Sora App Experiences Declining User Growth After Initial Popularity
OpenAI’s AI-powered video creation platform, Sora, saw an explosive rise following its launch but is now facing a notable slowdown in both user engagement and revenue generation. Initially released as an invite-only iOS app that quickly topped the U.S. App Store charts, recent figures reveal a sharp decline in downloads and consumer spending.
From Explosive Debut to Rapid Slowdown
Sora 2, leveraging OpenAI’s cutting-edge video synthesis technology, achieved over 100,000 installs within its first 24 hours.It surpassed ChatGPT’s early adoption speed by reaching one million downloads faster than the latter during its initial rollout phase. This surge was driven by exclusive access and unique features allowing users to create AI-generated videos starring themselves or friends.
Despite this promising start, momentum has diminished considerably. Data from market analysts show that December experienced a surprising 32% drop in new downloads-a notable downturn given the holiday season typically boosts app usage due to gift-giving and increased free time.
The decline intensified into January 2026 with installs falling another 45%, totaling roughly 1.2 million for the month alone.Consumer spending followed suit; revenues fell nearly one-third from December’s peak of $540,000 down to $367,000 in January.
User Engagement Struggles Amidst Intensifying Competition
Sora offers an experience akin to TikTok but centers on AI-generated videos created from text prompts rather than conventional user recordings. A key feature allows users to cast themselves or acquaintances as main characters while enabling others to remix shared clips with added music and dialog for enhanced storytelling.
Although Sora has amassed close to 9.6 million total downloads across iOS and Android globally-with most revenue coming from U.S.-based users-the app recently slipped out of Apple’s Top 100 free apps (now ranked #101) and fares worse on Google Play at #181 among free apps overall.
New Competitors Shaping Market Dynamics
- Google Gemini: The launch of Google’s Gemini AI model-especially its Nano Banana image generator-has significantly boosted rival apps’ popularity sence late 2025.
- Meta AI: Meta introduced Vibes, an AI-driven video content platform that surged concurrently with Sora’s initial growth phase.
The Intellectual Property Challenge Hindering Expansion
A critical obstacle for Sora has been navigating copyright issues related to generated content ownership. Initially employing an opt-out system for studios concerned about unauthorized use led to backlash when popular characters like spongebob SquarePants or Pikachu were used without explicit permission-an approach that helped viral growth but raised legal concerns.
This forced OpenAI into adopting a stricter opt-in policy requiring explicit consent before copyrighted material could be incorporated into creations-a move that limited creative freedom and alienated some early adopters who enjoyed fewer restrictions initially.
The Complex Impact of Disney Collaboration
A licensing deal between OpenAI and Disney now permits official use of Disney characters within Sora videos; however, this partnership has yet to translate into meaningful increases in user acquisition or spending levels as anticipated.Additionally,controversial fan-made content featuring beloved characters sparked negative reactions rather than positive brand association for both parties involved.
User Privacy Concerns affecting Adoption rates
Sora was once hailed as potentially revolutionary-a “TikTok for AI” promising disruptive social media innovation-but many users remain wary about granting even close friends access to thier digital likenesses for video creation purposes.combined with tightened commercial IP restrictions following copyright disputes, enthusiasm appears muted compared with the excitement seen at launch last year.
“Without recognizable faces fueling engagement through personal connections-and facing fierce competition alongside stricter copyright controls-Sora must innovate further if it hopes to regain lost momentum.”
Paving the Way Forward: Strategies To Reignite Interest
- Pursuing additional licensing agreements could broaden creative options while reassuring rights holders;
Navigating Challenges While unlocking Future Potential
The path toward sustained success within today’s crowded mobile ecosystem demands more than just initial hype-it requires ongoing adaptation amid shifting competitive pressures and evolving intellectual property regulations.Sora remains far from obsolete given millions have downloaded it so far-but reversing current declines will depend heavily on how effectively OpenAI balances innovation against legal safeguards while addressing core user concerns around privacy and creative freedom.
