By Harshit | 5 October 2025 | San Francisco | 10:00 AM PDT
OpenAI’s AI Video Tool Tops Charts Despite Invite-Only Access
OpenAI’s latest product, the artificial intelligence video app Sora, has quickly climbed to the top of Apple’s App Store, becoming the number one free app in the U.S. just days after its release. The milestone is especially notable because the app remains invite-only, meaning only users with special access codes can currently generate and share videos.
Launched on Tuesday, Sora allows iPhone users to create short-form AI videos using text, images, or even their own likeness. The app comes with a social feed where users can view, remix, and cameo in each other’s creations, turning it into both a creative platform and a community space.
How to Get an Invite Code
For now, Sora requires iOS 18.0 or later and is only available in the U.S. and Canada, though OpenAI has confirmed plans to expand into more countries. Access requires an invite code, which has quickly become a hot commodity across social platforms.
Here’s how the process works:
- Download the Sora app from the iOS App Store.
- Log in using an OpenAI account.
- Click “Notify me when access opens.”
- Enter an invite code when prompted.
OpenAI has said it is prioritizing ChatGPT Pro subscribers for access to Sora. However, codes are also circulating online, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, and the official OpenAI Discord server, where some early users have been sharing extra invites.
Features of the Sora App
Once inside, users gain access to a range of AI video tools powered by Sora 2.0, the upgraded version of OpenAI’s video generation model. According to OpenAI, Sora 2.0 is “physically accurate, realistic, and more controllable” than earlier versions.
Key features include:
- Text-to-video generation: Turn written prompts into short-form videos.
- Image-to-video expansion: Animate static images into moving visuals.
- Cameo mode: Users can insert themselves or characters into videos.
- Remix tools: Take another user’s video and modify it into something new.
- Social sharing: Watch and engage with videos on a community feed.
OpenAI emphasized that Sora was designed not just for creativity but also to test the limits of AI-generated realism, with outputs that can mimic real-world physics and cinematic styles.
Market Impact and Competition
The explosive launch of Sora puts OpenAI in direct competition with other AI video startups such as Runway, Pika, and Stability AI, all of which have been racing to release user-friendly generative video tools. However, OpenAI’s brand recognition and integration with its ChatGPT ecosystem have given Sora a major advantage.
Industry experts say the app could significantly disrupt TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, especially if OpenAI introduces monetization tools for creators. For now, the invite-only system appears to be generating buzz and exclusivity, driving more demand.
Early User Reactions
Despite its restricted rollout, early adopters are praising the app’s creative flexibility. On social media, users have posted short clips showcasing surreal animations, photorealistic mini-movies, and humorous remixes of pop culture moments.
Some users, however, have raised concerns about safety and misuse, echoing broader debates about AI-generated content. OpenAI has said it is actively working on content moderation, watermarking, and usage policies to prevent harmful or misleading material from spreading.
What’s Next for Sora
OpenAI has not revealed when the app will exit its invite-only phase, but insiders suggest a global rollout may come by early 2026. Until then, the company appears to be stress-testing Sora’s capabilities and safety systems with a limited user base.
The app’s rapid rise to number one on the App Store charts indicates strong consumer interest in AI-driven creativity tools, reinforcing OpenAI’s dominant role in the generative AI race.
