Controversial Sora app heads to Android! Almost half a million people downloaded it on the first day

OpenAI has finally brought its controversial AI video app Sora to Android. On its first day, it was downloaded by 470 thousand users, which is four times more than its September launch on iOS. But before you get too excited – the app is not yet available in the Czech Republic.

Sora is available in seven countries: USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Europe? Missing. And while OpenAI is gradually expanding availability, it’s unclear when Sora will reach us. In the meantime, let’s look at what this AI app actually does and why it has generated such interest.

Four times the iOS success: Android dominates

According to analysis from Appfigures, Android users downloaded Sora 470 thousand times on the first day. This is an impressive number, surpassing the iOS launch fourfold. However, context is important – the iOS version in September was limited to North America and required an invitation. Nevertheless, over a million people downloaded it within five days.

The Android version launches without invitations and in seven countries simultaneously, so higher numbers make sense. But the more interesting question is: What are all these people doing with Sora? And more importantly: Should we be concerned about what it creates?

What is Sora and why is it controversial

Sora is an AI application that generates videos from text descriptions or images. You type “golden retriever playing soccer on the beach at sunset” and Sora creates a realistic video for you in a few seconds. It sounds like sci-fi, but it works.

The app also has a social layer – you can share your videos, remix other people’s creations, and use the Cameo feature, which allows you to insert the likeness of real people into AI-generated videos. This is where things start to get problematic.

The Cameo feature opens the door to deepfakes – videos where someone appears to be doing or saying something they never actually did. OpenAI claims to be working with unions like SAG-AFTRA and celebrities to prevent misuse, but the reality is that once the technology is out, controlling it is difficult.

AI video boom: future or problem?

Sora is not the only AI video app on the market. Google has Veo 3, RunwayML offers professional tools, Pika Labs targets creatives. The AI video market is exploding, with new features or competing products arriving every week.

For creatives, this means new possibilities – you can create content that previously would have required a studio, camera, actors, and post-production. For ordinary people, it’s fun and experimentation.

OpenAI promises to work on preventing misuse, but history shows that once technology is out, control over it is an illusion. The easier it is to create fake video, the worse the consequences can be.

On the other hand – AI videos are fascinating technology. They can democratize content creation, open doors to creativity, and help people express ideas that would otherwise remain only in their heads. The question is whether we, as a society, can leverage the benefits while minimizing the risks.

For now, the situation is: Sora is on Android, but not here. If you want to experiment, you’ll have to wait or find a creative way to access it (for example, via VPN).

Will you try Sora when it becomes available in the Czech Republic?

Source: GSMArena