NAIROBI, Kenya- OpenAI is stepping up its AI game once again. On Monday, the Microsoft-backed company announced the release of Sora, its cutting-edge text-to-video artificial intelligence model, now accessible to ChatGPT Plus and Pro users.
This move expands OpenAI’s portfolio of multimodal AI technologies and places it in direct competition with tools from tech heavyweights like Meta, Google, and Stability AI.
Sora, introduced in February during its research preview phase, has now entered the spotlight as Sora Turbo. Exclusively available to paid ChatGPT users, the AI tool comes at no extra charge—at least for now.
This advanced model enables users to create videos up to 20 seconds long, with resolutions reaching 1080p. Whether you’re envisioning widescreen, vertical, or square aspect ratios, Sora has you covered.
In a blog post, OpenAI shared plans to introduce tailored pricing for different user categories by early 2025. While the model is not yet accessible in EU countries, Switzerland, or the UK, users in other supported regions can dive into its capabilities immediately.
OpenAI’s foray into video generation comes as it seeks to outshine competitors like Meta’s text-to-video offerings, Google’s tools, and Stability AI’s Stable Video Diffusion.
The company’s efforts underscore its ambition to lead the charge in generative AI technologies, following the buzz created by its ChatGPT chatbot.
While other platforms focus on scaling up their capabilities, OpenAI has concentrated on user accessibility and safety. Sora’s introduction reflects a balanced approach—offering cutting-edge tools while addressing potential misuse risks.
OpenAI isn’t taking any chances when it comes to safety. The company has implemented robust safeguards to block harmful uses of Sora, including the creation of abusive or illegal content like child exploitation materials and sexual deepfakes.
“Uploads of people will be limited at launch, but we intend to roll the feature out to more users as we refine our deepfake mitigations,” OpenAI stated.
The proactive measures aim to curb misuse while maintaining a user-friendly interface for legitimate purposes.
With Sora, OpenAI is ushering in a new chapter in AI-driven creativity. By making advanced text-to-video technology accessible to its ChatGPT Plus and Pro users, the company is setting a benchmark for innovation and responsibility in the generative AI space.
