What to know about Sora, the new AI video app developed by OpenAI
You’re scrolling through your feed when a jaw-dropping video stops you in your tracks: Maybe it's a video of a boy playing with a tiger, or a man being swept by a tornado, or it could even be a cat driving a car. While it all looks so real, you might want to do a double take as it may be the work of the new AI video app Sora.
Sora is the latest video generation model by OpenAI, which is the same AI research and deployment company behind ChatGPT.
The company developed the original Sora model in February 2024 and was released to users in December that same year. At the time, the model was still in its research phase, so while its products may look realistic, there are still features that allow users to distinguish them as being the work of AI.
However, OpenAI has since rolled out the new and improved "Sora 2," which they tout is "more physically accurate, realistic, and more controllable than prior systems."
What is the Sora app?
OpenAI officially launched the Sora social video app on Oct. 1, allowing users to create and share AI-generated videos powered by the Sora 2 model.
The app, which is not yet available in the Philippines, features a home feed—similar to TikTok—but the main difference is that every video you see is generated by AI.
As seen in a tutorial by Howfinity, users can type something as simple as "A car commercial" and it will quickly create a realistic-looking advertisement for you.
Users can also send the model an image and it will animate it based on prompts.
Moreover, users can generate their likeness in videos through "cameos" and drop themselves into any scene after a short one-time video and audio recording in the app.
OpenAI says that you are in control of your likeness with Sora, meaning you can decide who can use your cameo.
Due to privacy concerns, there are some limitations to what Sora can do. For instance, you can't upload an image of a person to generate a video to prevent misuse like deepfakes or unauthorized representations.
The AI-generated videos, however, have gone beyond the Sora app and into TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram feeds.
Currently, the app is available via Apple's App Store and accessible only through an invitation code.
Concerns raised
Sora 2 is capable of generating videos that can be nearly indistinguishable from real footage, to the point that many social media users have expressed concerns about it.
TikTok influencer Chelsea Anderson is one person who had voiced her fears after trying out the app.
"I'm truly not trying to fear-monger, but I just messed around with Sora and you and your family and friends need like a password so that you can tell if it's really you because these deep fakes are crazy. The scams are gonna be insane," she said.
"It is so realistic, it's actually frightening," she added.
According to OpenAI, their Sora 2 model can do things that are "exceptionally difficult—and in some instances outright impossible—for prior video generation models."
Some difficult actions that it can generate include "Olympic gymnastics routines, backflips on a paddleboard that accurately model the dynamics of buoyancy and rigidity, and triple axels while a cat holds on for dear life."
While using other real people's likeness is blocked, some people have still generated content featuring celebrities like the late Michael Jackson, Jake Paul, Bob Ross, and Robin Williams.
On TikTok, a Sora AI-generated clip of Jackson nabbing chicken from a fastfood diner while he's singing and dancing has over 2.3 million views.
Another user created videos of American influencer Jake Paul eating Pinoy street food and speaking Filipino.
The New York Times noted in a report that the app does not require users to verify their accounts, allowing others to sign up with a name and image that is not theirs.
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In a report, the New York Times highlighted how users on the new app have created misleading realistic videos of immigration arrests, protests, and crime that have not taken place.
Despite this, one group, Hollywood's Create Artists Agency (CAA) said that Sora is exposign artists to "significant risk."
"The question is, does OpenAI and its partner companies believe that humans, writers, artists, actors, directors, producers, musicians, and athletes deserve to be compensated and credited for the work they create?" CAA said in a statement sent to Reuters on Thursday.
To spot whether a video was generated by the AI tool, there's a moving watermark with the Sora logo and name. Clips shared on TikTok, so far, also just last around 10 seconds.
As Democracy.net.ph's Engr. Tito Galla told PhilSTAR L!fe in May, AI-generated content and deepfake to look at whatever you see online with "zero trust."
"If you find an image online, do not default to believing that the image is real," he said.
Data Ethics PH's Doc Ligot also recommended to always look at the context, as deepfake content is usually potentially libelous. (with reports from REUTERS)
