innFactory AI Consulting from Rosenheim, Germany advises enterprises across the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) on GDPR-compliant integration of video AI. OpenAI Sora is a powerful video generation solution - for enterprise use, we recommend careful review of availability, data residency, and contractual terms.
Sora 2 - New Generation of Video AI
In February 2026, OpenAI released Sora 2 and Sora 2 Pro. The new generation brings significant improvements for professional video production:
Story Extensions and Narrative Content
With Story Extensions, existing videos can be extended by describing what should happen next. Sora maintains characters, environments, and visual style - ideal for episodic content and longer narratives. Videos can be developed iteratively without losing previous versions.
Image-to-Video with Real People
Sora 2 enables animation of images featuring real people for the first time, such as for marketing campaigns or internal communications. OpenAI has implemented strict safety measures: recognizable faces are automatically stylized, all videos receive visible watermarks, and usage is subject to strict consent guidelines.
Up to 25 Seconds with Synchronized Audio
Maximum video length has been increased to 25 seconds. Sora 2 generates:
- Synchronized speech with accurate lip movements
- Ambient sounds and background music
- Sound effects matching the scene
- Multi-speaker dialogues for realistic conversations
Professional Output Quality
Sora 2 delivers 1080p Full HD as standard - suitable for broadcast and professional applications. Physics simulation has been improved, making object interactions more realistic. Various visual styles (Anime, Cinematic, Retro, etc.) and on-screen text rendering expand creative possibilities.
EU Availability and Compliance
Sora has been available in the European Union since early 2025, but with limitations:
- Web Version: Available for ChatGPT Plus and Pro subscribers in EU, UK, Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Iceland
- Sora 2 App: Not yet released for EU regions - rollout date unclear
- GDPR Compliance: OpenAI confirms GDPR compliance for the released version
- Cloud Providers: Sora is not available via AWS Bedrock, Azure AI, or Google Vertex AI - no EU-region-specific deployment possible
For enterprises in the DACH region, this means: usage is exclusively through OpenAI’s own infrastructure. Data residency and exact processing locations should be reviewed contractually.
API and Pricing Model
The Sora 2 API is publicly available with a pay-per-second model:
- Standard 720p: $0.10 per second
- Pro 720p: $0.30 per second
- Pro 1080p: $0.50 per second
A 10-second 1080p video thus costs $5.00. The API operates asynchronously and delivers videos without watermarks - suitable for commercial use and white-label applications. Maximum video lengths are 4-12 seconds via the standard API, up to 20-25 seconds for Pro subscribers.
Strict content policies apply to generation, particularly regarding realistic depictions of people, celebrities, and protected brands.
Enterprise Use Cases
Typical applications in the DACH region:
- Concept Visualization and rapid prototyping for campaigns
- Social Media Content with short, attention-grabbing videos
- Marketing Videos for product launches and explainer content
- Storyboards for pre-visualization of productions
- Internal Communications with animated content
For production workflows, enterprises should carefully evaluate availability, latency, and costs.
Our Recommendation
Sora 2 is well-suited for creative exploration, prototyping, and short marketing content. The quality and feature variety are impressive. However, enterprises in the DACH region should note the following:
- The lack of integration with EU cloud providers (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) makes it challenging to meet strict data residency requirements
- Costs can be significant for larger video volumes ($5 per 10 seconds in 1080p)
- The app version is not yet available in the EU
For production applications with strict compliance requirements, we recommend evaluating alternative video AI solutions that offer EU hosting through established cloud providers. innFactory AI Consulting supports you in selecting the right solution and implementing GDPR-compliant integration.