OpenAI believes Sora 2 is their "GPT-3.5 moment for video" - the point where AI video generation becomes genuinely useful. Released in late September 2025, Sora 2 can create synchronized dialogue, realistic physics, and professional-quality video from text prompts. Here's everything you need to know.

What Is Sora?

Sora is a text-to-video model developed by OpenAI. You describe a video scene in text, and Sora generates a video matching your description. The technology was first previewed in February 2024, with Sora 1 releasing to the public in December 2024 and Sora 2 arriving in September 2025.

According to Wikipedia's summary of Sora's development:

  • February 2024: OpenAI previews Sora capabilities
  • December 2024: Sora 1 releases for ChatGPT Plus/Pro users in US and Canada
  • September 2025: Sora 2 releases with major improvements

What's New in Sora 2

According to OpenAI's official announcement, Sora 2 brings significant improvements:

Better Physics

Sora 2 is more physically accurate and realistic than prior systems. Example: if a basketball player misses a shot, the ball now rebounds off the backboard realistically rather than "teleporting to the hoop" as in earlier versions.

Synchronized Audio

Sora 2 features synchronized dialogue and sound effects - a major upgrade from the silent videos of Sora 1.

Complex Movements

OpenAI claims Sora 2 can handle things that were "exceptionally difficult for prior video generation models" - including Olympic gymnastics routines and other complex physical movements.

Better Controllability

More precise control over what appears in your videos, with improved adherence to prompts.

How to Access Sora

To use Sora, you need one of OpenAI's premium subscriptions:

Plan Price Sora Access
ChatGPT Plus $20/month Basic access, standard limits
ChatGPT Pro $200/month Priority access, more generations

To get started: Go to Sora.com and log in with your ChatGPT Plus or Pro account.

How to Generate Videos with Sora

Step 1: Write Your Prompt

At the bottom of the Sora interface, describe your video by providing text in the input field. You can also upload an image or video file as a starting point by selecting the + option.

Step 2: Configure Settings

Before generating, you can adjust:

  • Resolution: 480p, 720p, or 1080p
  • Aspect ratio: Widescreen, square, or vertical
  • Duration: Up to 20 seconds per clip
  • Style presets: Cinematic, dreamy, animated, ultra-realistic
  • Variations: Generate multiple versions for different interpretations

Step 3: Generate and Iterate

Submit your prompt and wait - it may take up to a minute for Sora to generate the video. Review the result, then use editing tools to refine.

Sora Editing Features

Storyboard

Create multiple AI-generated videos and assemble them together on a timeline, similar to conventional video editors like Adobe Premiere Pro. This lets you build longer, more complex videos from multiple clips.

Remix

Describe changes to an existing generation and create new videos based on your modifications. Think of it like "edit this video to add..." functionality.

Blend

Transition elements from one video to another - useful for creating smooth morphs or creative transitions between scenes.

Loop

Create seamless loops from any part of your video - perfect for social media content, backgrounds, or animated elements.

API Access for Developers

OpenAI has released the Video API (in preview) for developers, enabling programmatic video creation:

Available endpoints:

  • Create video
  • Get video status
  • Download video
  • List videos

Model variants:

  • sora-2: Designed for speed and flexibility - good for social media content and prototypes
  • sora-2-pro: Higher quality results for production-quality output

Limitations and Concerns

Copyright and Training Data

By default, Sora uses copyrighted material in its training data unless copyright holders actively opt out. This has raised concerns about the ethics and legality of AI-generated content.

Watermarks (and Removal)

Videos contain a visible, moving digital watermark to prevent misuse and identify AI-generated content. However, only a week after Sora 2's release, third-party programs became prevalent that could remove the watermark - raising concerns about misinformation.

Social Media Concerns

The New York Times remarked that the Sora 2 release was "jaw-dropping (for better and worse)" but noted it was "a social network in disguise" - expressing concern about its potential impact on society and use for misinformation.

Current Limitations

  • Maximum 20 seconds per clip (longer videos require stitching)
  • May struggle with very specific or complex prompts
  • Not yet suitable for all professional use cases
  • Geographic restrictions (initially US and Canada only for consumers)

Who Should Use Sora?

Good Use Cases:

  • Content creators: Generate b-roll, social media content, or creative concepts
  • Marketing teams: Rapid prototyping of video ad concepts
  • Small businesses: Create video content without expensive production
  • Educators: Generate illustrative videos for lessons
  • Game developers: Concept visualization and prototyping

Proceed with Caution:

  • News organizations: Risk of deepfakes and misinformation
  • High-stakes professional video: May not meet quality standards
  • Situations requiring explicit consent: Generated faces raise ethical issues

Sora vs. Competitors

Sora isn't the only AI video generator. Key competitors include:

  • Runway Gen-2/Gen-3: Popular with creators, accessible pricing
  • Pika: Known for stylized, creative outputs
  • Kling: Chinese competitor with strong capabilities
  • Google Veo: Google's video generation model

Sora's advantages include integration with the ChatGPT ecosystem and OpenAI's massive infrastructure. Its disadvantages include higher barrier to entry (requiring paid subscription) and concerns about training data.

Tips for Better Sora Results

  1. Be specific: Include details about camera angle, lighting, movement, and style
  2. Reference real cinematography: "Shot like a Wes Anderson film" or "Handheld documentary style"
  3. Use style presets: Start with cinematic, dreamy, or animated modes
  4. Generate variations: Create multiple versions and pick the best
  5. Iterate with Remix: Refine existing generations rather than starting over
  6. Keep clips short: Multiple short clips stitched together often work better than one long prompt

The Future of AI Video

OpenAI's claim that Sora 2 represents their "GPT-3.5 moment for video" suggests they see this as just the beginning. If AI video follows the same trajectory as text generation, we can expect:

  • Rapid quality improvements with each version
  • Longer video generation capabilities
  • Better integration with other creative tools
  • Falling costs and wider accessibility
  • Increasing regulatory scrutiny around deepfakes

For now, Sora 2 is a powerful tool for rapid prototyping and content creation - but like all AI tools, it works best when you understand both its capabilities and limitations.

Sources