A perfect place for brainwashing? OpenAI introduced a TikTok-like app where everything is created by AI

OpenAI has officially introduced a new application, Sora, which is something like TikTok, but where all content is completely generated by artificial intelligence. The app, currently available only for iOS, allows users to create videos from text prompts using the newly released advanced Sora 2 model and share them in an environment that strikingly resembles popular social networks for short videos.

Information about the upcoming app leaked even before the official announcement – WIRED magazine provided an exclusive look behind the scenes of its development and offered the first details on how Sora would work. Now the app is available, along with official details.

TikTok, but everything is AI

The Sora app has a practically identical interface to TikTok or Instagram Reels – you’ll find a vertically scrollable video feed, a For You page with recommended content, and options to react, comment, and share. The fundamental difference is that all content is generated by artificial intelligence based on users’ text prompts. The maximum possible length is significantly limited; according to available information, one video can be at most 10 seconds long.

This is the Sora app, powered by Sora 2.

Inside the app, you can create, remix, and bring yourself or your friends into the scene through cameos—all within a customizable feed designed just for Sora videos.

See inside the Sora app👇 pic.twitter.com/GxzxdNZMYG

— OpenAI (@OpenAI) September 30, 2025

Currently, the app is available exclusively for devices with iOS 18.0 and newer, with OpenAI planning to gradually expand access via invitations. The first wave of users from the USA and Canada already has access, with other countries expected to follow in the coming weeks.

Insert yourself into an AI video

One of the app’s most interesting features is called “Cameos” and allows users to insert themselves or their friends into generated videos. A short video and audio recording is enough to capture their likeness.

Testing out Sora 2 and the new Sora app.. thought I’d try to make an entire video using only prompts and have my cameo avatar say what I tell it to. What do you think?@OpenAI pic.twitter.com/LnKDgM8nkv

— iJustine (@ijustine) September 30, 2025

Influencer iJustine created a compilation of several 10-second videos made using the Sora app

OpenAI emphasizes that this feature is designed with an emphasis on privacy and control – only you decide who can use your likeness, and you can revoke access or delete any video containing it at any time.

Sora 2: What the new video generation model can do

At the heart of the application is the new Sora 2 model, which, according to OpenAI, represents a significant leap in the quality of generated videos. Compared to the first version of the model introduced in February 2024, it offers much more realistic physics rendering, better object continuity, and significantly more advanced audio capabilities, including synchronized speech and sound effects.

Sora 2 is here. pic.twitter.com/hy95wDM5nB

— OpenAI (@OpenAI) September 30, 2025

The examples published by OpenAI demonstrate the ability to create complex scenes such as gymnastic performances, water tricks, or complex object interactions. The model also better understands physical rules – for example, a ball bouncing off a basketball hoop behaves realistically, instead of “teleporting” into the hoop, as older models would do.

Pure brainwashing without added value? (author’s opinion piece)

While the Chinese app TikTok faces criticism for its addictive algorithm and potential negative impact on users’ mental health, especially minors, the Sora 2 app could exacerbate these problems. Unlike TikTok, where at least some content has an educational or informative character, the OpenAI app will offer exclusively AI-generated videos. Even such content, with a high-quality prompt, could theoretically be beneficial, but with a length of 10 seconds, I cannot imagine it genuinely teaching me anything or otherwise enriching me.

It is very likely that most of such content will ultimately be of a purely entertainment nature without deeper meaning. The absence of human creativity and authenticity, which is typical for AI-generated videos, is, in my view, at least partially compensated by the mentioned Cameos feature, which allows real influencers to transport themselves into a world or situation where they never actually were.

I certainly don’t consider myself an AI skeptic, but do we really need another TikTok-like platform where all content is generated by energy-intensive software?

OpenAI’s view on app criticism

Despite concerns about creating another entertainment app without deeper utility, Sam Altman and the OpenAI team see Sora as a significant step forward. “This is a ‘ChatGPT for creativity’ moment for many of us, bringing something fun and new,” Altman stated in a blog post. OpenAI believes the app can spark a “Cambrian explosion of creativity” and fundamentally increase the quality and accessibility of artistic creation for a wide audience.

OpenAI also emphasizes that it recognizes the potential risks of social platforms and actively prevents them. “We have mechanisms in place for regularly assessing the impact on user well-being, giving them the ability to customize their feed according to preferences, and we have explicitly designed the app to maximize creation, not just content consumption,” the company states. The development team is also committed to optimizing for long-term user satisfaction and offers parental controls for younger users.

What do you think of the new Sora app?

Sources: OpenAI, Sam Altman’s blog, App Store