OpenAIs Sora App Outpaces ChatGPTs Rapid Growth

OpenAI's latest creation, the Sora iPhone app, has made a spectacular debut, hitting one million downloads in just five days after its September 30 launch. This incredible pace puts it ahead of the initial download rate for the company's own ChatGPT iOS app, a feat made even more impressive by the app's current limitations.

Currently, Sora is only available in the United States and Canada. Access is further restricted by an invite-only system, and there is no version available for Android users yet.

Bill Peebles, the lead for Sora at OpenAI, celebrated the milestone on X, noting the team is "working tirelessly to accommodate the burgeoning interest." He also hinted at upcoming improvements and fixes for overmoderation issues.

His announcement came after multiple sources pointed to Sora's explosive growth compared to ChatGPT's iPhone launch.

sora hit 1M app downloads in <5 days, even faster than chatgpt did (despite the invite flow and only targeting north america!)!

team working hard to keep up with surging growth. more features and fixes to overmoderation on the way!

By the Numbers A Direct Comparison

Data analyzed by TechCrunch confirms this trend. In its first week, Sora racked up 627,000 downloads, edging out ChatGPT’s initial 606,000 in the same timeframe.

The app’s actual performance has even outstripped these early estimates, validating Peebles' enthusiastic comments.

Sora's journey to the top was swift. It began with an impressive 56,000 downloads on its first day, landing it the #3 spot in the U.S. App Store. By October 3, driven by a wave of viral videos shared across social media, it had claimed the number one position.

The release of Sora 2, which introduced a new AI video generation model, further captivated users who eagerly shared their creations. To broaden access, many began circulating invite codes on X and other social platforms.

What's Fueling Sora's Viral Growth

At its core, Sora is a social network built around creating and sharing AI-generated short-form videos. One of its standout features is the ability to insert real people into these videos as cameos.

Users have the option to feature themselves or get permission from others to use their likeness. In a significant boost to its appeal, both OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and billionaire Mark Cuban have made their cameos available for anyone to use in their Sora clips.

Despite initial skepticism when details were leaked, with some dismissing it as a platform for low-effort AI content, Sora has found a unique charm. Respected Apple analyst John Gruber captured this sentiment well.

He commented, "I am not inclined to categorize Sora as a mere fad or as a sustainable entity, but it has sparked enjoyment within me that I haven’t derived from a new social network in years. The simplicity of producing a frivolous video with just a brief prompt is exhilarating, and the humor generated by those I follow is a daily delight."

Sora’s rapid climb is especially interesting given the competitive environment. It surged to the top just after Google's Gemini app briefly held the #1 spot, thanks to interest in its Nano Banana image generator. Furthermore, Meta had just launched its own AI-focused social feed only days before Sora’s release, highlighting the intense race to dominate the AI-powered social media space.

Original article source: Bgr.com.