OpenAI Expands Sora With Paid Video Generations
OpenAI has officially begun monetizing its viral video-generation app, Sora, allowing users to purchase additional video generations beyond the daily free limit. The move, announced by Bill Peebles, OpenAI’s Head of Sora, marks a significant step toward making the platform financially sustainable amid skyrocketing user demand.
“We have been quite amazed by how much our power users want to use Sora, and the economics are currently completely unsustainable,” Peebles wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “We thought 30 free generations per day would be more than enough, but clearly we were wrong! This will let our pro creators get as much usage as they want to pay for.”
How the New Sora Pricing Works
Starting immediately, users can purchase 10 additional video generations for $4. This feature is designed primarily for power users who exceed the existing free limit of 30 daily generations. According to Peebles, Pro users can still create up to 100 videos per day, though that number might fluctuate based on more “expensive configurations” used in the video-generation process.
For now, the 30 free daily video generations remain unchanged, ensuring that casual users can continue to experiment with Sora without paying. However, Peebles hinted that these generous free limits might not last forever.
The Reason Behind Monetization: GPU and Cost Constraints
OpenAI’s decision to introduce paid video generations is rooted in practicality. The company’s computing resources, particularly GPUs, are being stretched to their limits due to the surge in demand. Peebles acknowledged this in his post, noting that maintaining the current free limit is “economically unsustainable.”
“Eventually, we will need to bring the free generations down to accommodate growth — we won’t have enough GPUs otherwise,” he explained. “But we’ll be transparent as it happens. In the meantime, enjoy the crazy usage limits!”
Despite those concerns, OpenAI has temporarily opened up Sora sign-ups to users in the US and Canada without requiring an invite code — a clear sign that the company is confident about managing the current wave of popularity, at least for now.
Sora’s Explosive Rise to the Top
Since its launch, Sora has quickly become one of the most popular apps in the world, ranking as the No. 2 most downloaded free app on Apple’s App Store, just behind OpenAI’s flagship ChatGPT app.
Powered by the Sora 2 model, the app enables users to generate ultra-realistic short videos from simple text prompts, positioning it as a potential TikTok competitor. Its seamless interface and creative flexibility have captivated millions of creators, from influencers to digital artists.
New Features: Cameo Characters and AI Creativity
In addition to paid generations, OpenAI recently rolled out Cameo Characters, a feature that allows users to create videos featuring AI-generated pets, objects, and personalized characters. This feature has quickly become one of the app’s defining elements, blending creativity and personalization in a way that resonates with younger audiences.
However, the name “Cameo” sparked legal trouble. Cameo, the celebrity video platform known for personalized shoutouts, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI over the use of the word. OpenAI responded that it disagrees with the idea that any company can exclusively own the term “cameo,” suggesting that it intends to keep the feature name for now.
Balancing Growth, Responsibility, and Creativity
While Sora’s growth trajectory has been meteoric, OpenAI’s leadership has made it clear that they’re wary of the pitfalls that come with mass adoption and engagement-driven platforms. Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, acknowledged the potential for Sora — like TikTok or ChatGPT — to become overly addictive.
“We’re definitely worried about this,” Altman said during a recent Q&A session. “I worry about it not just for things like Sora and TikTok and ads and ChatGPT, which are maybe known problems that we can design carefully.”
This statement reflects OpenAI’s broader focus on responsible design, ensuring that AI-driven platforms remain creative tools rather than attention traps.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Sora and Paid AI Creativity
OpenAI’s introduction of paid video generations represents more than just a monetization strategy — it’s a signal of how the company plans to balance innovation with economic sustainability. As AI-generated video becomes an integral part of online content creation, Sora could become both a creative powerhouse and a commercial platform.
The addition of paid features, Cameo Characters, and expanding access in North America all point toward OpenAI’s ambitions to make Sora not just a viral hit, but a long-term ecosystem for AI-powered creativity.
For now, users can continue to enjoy Sora’s “crazy usage limits,” but as computing demands grow, it’s clear that the age of free, unlimited AI generation is coming to an end.
For more articles like this visit Trenzest.
