Just days after OpenAI unveiled its Sora 2 model and the accompanying social app, the scramble for invite codes has turned into a full-blown frenzy. Users desperate to access the AI video generator, which promises hyper-realistic clips complete with synchronized audio, are flooding Reddit threads and online forums. Invite codes, meant for limited early access, are now changing hands on eBay for up to $100 a pop, highlighting the hype around this TikTok-like platform where anyone can remix videos of friends or even celebrities.
Indeed, the app's launch has been anything but smooth. Within the first 24 hours, reports emerged of copyright violations as users generated content featuring protected characters—think Pokémon's Pikachu starring in absurd, AI-crafted scenarios that blur the line between fun and infringement. Moreover, the platform is awash with deepfakes, including unsettling videos of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in compromising situations, like shoplifting or spouting conspiracy theories. These clips, shared virally on the app's feed, raise immediate concerns about misinformation in an already chaotic digital space.
Sam Altman himself has stayed relatively quiet amid the uproar, though his recent comments on AI safety during a tech conference in San Francisco underscored the risks of such tools proliferating without guardrails. However, OpenAI insists the app includes age-appropriate protections and prompts users to verify content. Still, with over 28,000 comments in a single Reddit megathread dedicated to trading codes, it's clear the demand far outstrips supply, especially in regions facing access blocks.
The Sora app, available only on iOS for now, lets creators describe scenes for 10-second vertical videos, but the invite-only phase means most are left waiting—or paying up. Critics point out this exclusivity mirrors early ChatGPT rollouts, potentially widening the gap between tech insiders and everyday users. As deepfakes multiply and codes get resold, one can't help but wonder if OpenAI's vision for collaborative AI creation is stumbling right out of the gate, or if this is just the messy prelude to something transformative.