OpenAI Announces Closure of Sora Video Generation App, Terminates $1 Billion Partnership with Disney

OpenAI announced on March 24 local time the closure of its Sora video generation app and the termination of its $1 billion partnership with Disney. Sora's iOS app, API interface, and official website will cease operations, with a detailed schedule to be released soon.

The Sora team will shift to world model research to advance robotics technology and solve real-world physical tasks. This adjustment reflects OpenAI's strategic shift—amid intensified industry competition, the company is prioritizing resources to profitable areas like capital, chips, and enterprise products.

Running Sora required massive computing power and electricity, which had affected resource allocation for other teams. Since its launch in 2024, Sora once shook the industry, but its download volume plummeted by 45% in January 2026, leading to its eventual closure.