OpenAI’s Sora app is struggling after its stellar launch

After quickly hitting the highest of the App Retailer in October, OpenAI’s video-generation app Sora is now struggling. New information suggests the app is seeing declines in each app downloads and shopper spending, because the early hype concerning 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.

Nonetheless, within the weeks since Sora’s cellular debut, the app has begun to lose traction.

Based on information 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 individuals are gifted new smartphones and sometimes have break day 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 achieve 1.2 million. Client 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 function permits customers to forged themselves and their pals as important characters within the movies, in the event that they select, whereas shared movies will be remixed by others who can customise them additional. The movies may embrace music, sound results, and dialogue to finish the scenes customers create.

In complete, Sora’s app has seen 9.6 million downloads throughout iOS and Android, and $1.4 million in shopper 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 now 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 write down off the app as “useless,” however they’re worrying.

The decline is probably going because of a variety of components working in tandem.

For starters, Google’s Gemini, and significantly 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 similar time, OpenAI has struggled with containing copyright infringement in Sora. Initially, the corporate instructed Hollywood studios and businesses they must decide out of getting their IP utilized in Sora, which naturally noticed studio backlash. However with out strong 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 take care of Disney, which allowed customers to generate movies in Sora with its characters. However thus far, that information hasn’t elevated Sora installs or shopper spending. (It’s additionally not essentially a great search for Disney, contemplating a number of 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 no real 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, folks’s curiosity in Sora appears to have light. Whether or not the app can stage a comeback with extra copyright offers or new options stays to be seen.