DISCONTINUATION ANNOUNCED: OpenAI announced on March 24, 2026 that Sora will be shut down. The Sora app will be discontinued on April 26, 2026, and the API on September 24, 2026. No direct successor has been announced.
innFactory AI Consulting from Rosenheim, Germany advises enterprises across the DACH region on video AI alternatives following the discontinuation of OpenAI Sora.
Sora Is Being Discontinued
On March 24, 2026, OpenAI announced the discontinuation of Sora. Reasons include high operating costs (estimated ~$1M/day), declining user numbers, and a strategic shift toward enterprise products.
Shutdown Timeline
| Component | Shutdown Date |
|---|---|
| Sora Mobile App | April 26, 2026 |
| Sora API | September 24, 2026 |
Recommended Alternatives
For enterprises that still need video AI capabilities, we recommend:
- Google Veo via Vertex AI in the EU
- Stable Video Diffusion for self-hosting
- Runway Gen-3 as an alternative (verify data privacy)
Sora 2 - Technical Details (Historical)
In September 2025, OpenAI released Sora 2 and Sora 2 Pro. The following technical documentation serves as reference:
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 will be shut down on April 26, 2026 (app) and September 24, 2026 (API). We recommend enterprises migrate to alternatives promptly. innFactory AI Consulting supports you in migrating to GDPR-compliant video AI solutions.