OpenAI has announced they’re shutting down their video generation app Sora alongside news Disney is pulling out of their massive investment into the company.

A new post made by the Sora team has confirmed they’re shutting down the app, which became wildly popular after its second iteration launched last fall and took the world by storm.

“We’re saying goodbye to the Sora app,” the team said in an update. “To everyone who created with Sora, shared it, and built community around it: thank you. What you made with Sora mattered, and we know this news is disappointing. We’ll share more soon, including timelines for the app and API and details on preserving your work.”

Following the news Sora is shutting down is word that Disney is walking away from their massive $1 billion investment into OpenAI, which would have seen Disney characters licensed for use in the video generation app.

“As the nascent AI field advances rapidly, we respect OpenAI’s decision to exit the video generation business and to shift its priorities elsewhere,” a Disney spokesperson said. “We appreciate the constructive collaboration between our teams and what we learned from it, and we will continue to engage with AI platforms to find new ways to meet fans where they are while responsibly embracing new technologies that respect IP and the rights of creators.”

Though the Sora app is being shut down, OpenAI will still reportedly pursue AI video in other forms as it can still be used in ChatGPT. Disney could also pursue other generative AI companies or platforms to license their characters to as well.

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