AI image of a man holding his phone in a coffee shop. On the phone a robot is doing a TikTok dance.

Initial Review — Marketer’s Perspective on OpenAI’s Sora 2 App

OpenAI has just released Sora 2, its next-generation text-to-video model, along with a stand-alone iOS app called Sora. This launch represents a big shift: OpenAI is not only improving video generation but also stepping into the social media arena.

The Sora app is currently invite-only in the U.S. and Canada, with plans to expand further. Each user gets a limited number of invites to share, creating the same “exclusive growth” dynamic that helped early social platforms build momentum.

Sora 2 upgrades the original model with synchronized audio, better motion realism, and new ways to remix and collaborate. Every video includes a visible watermark and embedded provenance metadata to track its origin. At launch, video duration is capped around 10 seconds, outputs are vertical (9:16), and the app is free to use with hints that premium or “extra generations” may eventually be paid.

For marketers, the big question is: is Sora a toy, a threat, or a new opportunity?

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Getting Started

The app is only available on iOS for now. To join, you need an invite code and an OpenAI account. Onboarding includes setting your username and optional profile image. If you want to use the Cameo feature (more on that below), you’ll record a short clip of your face and voice so the app can create an avatar version of you.

From there, creating is straightforward:

  • Tap the “+” to start a new video.

  • Enter a text prompt describing what you want, from subject to setting to style.

  • Generate a preview and iterate until you like the result.

  • Publish or share outside the app, with every output carrying an OpenAI watermark.

It feels familiar if you’ve used TikTok or Reels—only here, every clip is AI-generated.

What Sora 2 Can Do

This isn’t just an update—it’s a leap in capability.

  • Audio generation: Videos now include synchronized dialogue, sound effects, and ambient noise. Characters actually speak in sync with lip movements.

  • Motion realism: Physics and object movement look more natural. Think bouncing, walking, or camera pans that feel less “AI weird.”

  • Social features: You can like, comment, and follow other users, with a feed that prioritizes people you follow and content you’re likely to remix.

  • Remixing: Instead of just passively watching, you can branch off from others’ creations, remixing their ideas into your own.

  • Cameos: Perhaps the most viral-ready feature, where users can insert themselves—or others who’ve given permission—directly into videos.

It’s easy to see why OpenAI is describing this not only as a video tool but as a creative network.

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Where It Falls Short (or Needs Improvement)

Despite the hype, Sora is not ready for high-end production work.

  • Low fidelity: Videos suffer from compression and artifacts. They won’t replace polished advertising content.

  • Short length: At ~10 seconds max, narratives and product showcases feel limited.

  • Inconsistency: Some prompts work beautifully, others distort or are blocked entirely by moderation filters.

  • Editing limitations: There are no advanced editing tools—no layering, transitions, or color grading.

In short, it’s fun and socially powerful, but not yet professional grade.

Cameos Avatars for Everyone

Cameos are OpenAI’s take on avatars. By recording a quick face and voice clip, you can generate an AI version of yourself that can appear in other people’s videos.

The catch—and the opportunity—is that you control permissions. Friends can use your cameo only if you allow it, and you can revoke access anytime. Drafts that feature your likeness also show up in your account before publishing, giving you oversight.

This has already created buzz, with notable users like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and longtime YouTuber iJustinesharing their cameos for others to use. The viral potential is obvious: imagine your brand mascot, spokesperson, or even CEO becoming remixable content across thousands of user-generated clips.

Safeguard Shortcomings (Copyright, Likeness, Moderation)

Moderation is still uneven.

  • Some copyrighted characters (like Nintendo’s Mario or Pikachu, South Park, Family Guy) appear instantly. Others are blocked. Enforcement seems inconsistent or there may be behind the scenes licensing deals in place.

  • While public figures are generally restricted unless they’ve uploaded a cameo, loopholes exist and people are already testing the limits.

  • Users can push the model into gray areas where prompts slip through guardrails.

To their credit, OpenAI has watermarked every video and embedded metadata for traceability. But as with any AI platform, clever users will probe for weaknesses.

Here are some videos I generated using known characters and styles.

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Is OpenAI Building the Next Social Network?

It sure looks that way.

Sora isn’t just a video generator. It has a vertical feed, remix culture, likes, comments, and follows. OpenAI is trying to foster community, not just tool usage. They also say their feed won’t be optimized for “time spent” but instead for remixing potential, nudging the app toward collaborative creativity rather than endless scrolling.

The cameo system adds a new viral loop: once you give permission, others remix you into their content, which draws attention back to you. Combine this with the invite-only rollout and it feels like a modern spin on TikTok’s growth playbook.

Whether it sticks depends on whether users treat Sora as a novelty or a daily habit.

The Bigger Picture

Right now, most Sora outputs fall into what critics call “AI slop”—quick, low-effort videos that are more entertaining than enduring. That said, we’ve been here before. TikTok dances, cat videos, lip-sync memes—all were dismissed as garbage until they became a global cultural force.

Over time, creators will refine their approach. Some will layer human editing on top of Sora outputs. Others will invent entirely new content formats. Brands that experiment early may capture attention before the feed is flooded.

At the same time, expect rising questions about IP, moderation, and misinformation. Provenance signals like watermarks will help, but legal battles are almost guaranteed.

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What Marketers Should Do Now

For marketers, Sora isn’t yet a production tool—it’s a playground.

Best uses today:

  • Quick meme-style videos aligned with your brand voice

  • Social experiments to ride early novelty waves

  • Internal prototyping for ad concepts

  • Fun cameo-based brand engagement

Cautions:

  • Overposting risks your brand being labeled as producing “AI slop”

  • Watch for IP pitfalls if remixing known characters or concepts

  • Keep creative control tight when offering brand cameos

Future potential:
As Sora adds longer durations, higher fidelity, and deeper editing, it could evolve into a serious marketing channel. The integration with OpenAI’s broader ecosystem (ChatGPT, Pro subscriptions, API) means this isn’t a side experiment.

For now, Sora is best seen as an early-stage social platform with massive viral potential, but limited brand polish.

Final Take

Sora 2 shows us the future of generative video, but it’s not just about technology. By wrapping it inside a social network, OpenAI is betting that collaboration, remixing, and shared creativity will drive adoption.

For marketers, this is both opportunity and risk. If your brand thrives on culture, memes, and fast-moving trends, you should experiment now. If you need polish and control, keep Sora on your radar but wait for maturity.

The key is balance: play enough to learn, but don’t let your brand drown in slop.