OpenAI Launches Sora Turbo for Video Generation

OpenAI has officially released Sora Turbo, its artificial intelligence (AI)-powered text-to-video generation software, marking a new milestone in the landscape of AI content creation.

The launch comes nearly ten months after the technology was first unveiled to the public in February 2024.

The latest version of Sora, announced Monday (Dec. 9) is now accessible through sora.com to subscribers of ChatGPT Plus and Pro plans, with availability extending to most countries outside the European Union and the United Kingdom. The announcement is part of the company’s “12 Days of OpenAI” holiday series.

Sora Turbo offers users the ability to create videos 10 to 20 seconds in length, with resolution options from 480p to 1080p. The system accommodates various aspect ratios, including landscape, square and vertical formats. In addition, the platform offers a storyboard tool, which enables users to precisely specify inputs for each frame.

For casual users, the ChatGPT Plus subscription ($20/month) provides access to generate up to 50 videos monthly at 480p resolution. Professional users can opt for the Pro plan ($200/month) — debuted on Thursday (Dec. 5) — which offers higher resolutions and extended durations. OpenAI has indicated plans to introduce more tailored pricing options in early 2025 to accommodate diverse user needs.

OpenAI said in the release that it had implemented strict safeguards within Sora Turbo, including restrictions against generating likenesses of real people and explicit content. These measures reflect growing industry awareness of the ethical implications surrounding AI-generated media.

The release followed a period of controversy, when beta testers leaked Sora’s software onto the AI code-sharing community Hugging Face approximately two weeks before the official launch, according to a Nov. 26 TechCrunch report. The leak came with criticism of OpenAI’s testing program, with testers expressing concern over the use of unpaid labor for bug testing and feedback.

“We are not against the use of AI technology as a tool for the arts (if we were, we probably wouldn’t have been invited to this program),” the group behind the leak, Sora PR Puppets, wrote. “What we don’t agree with is how this artist program has been rolled out and how the tool is shaping up ahead of a possible public release. We are sharing this to the world in the hopes that OpenAI becomes more open, more artist friendly and supports the arts beyond PR stunts.”

Sora’s public release comes amid intensifying competition in the AI video generation space. Companies including Luma AI, Kling, Hailuo and Tencent have launched their own AI-powered video generators.