According to Thurrott.com, OpenAI has launched its Sora AI video generation app on Android in seven markets: the US, Canada, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The iOS version first launched on September 30 in just the US and Canada, showing a clear expansion strategy into key Asian markets. The Sora mobile apps use OpenAI’s second-generation text-to-video model capable of creating realistic videos with sound effects from simple text prompts or images. OpenAI previously revealed the Sora iOS app grew faster than ChatGPT, reaching 1 million downloads in less than 5 days. The company compared this release to “the GPT-3.5 moment for video,” suggesting they see this as a breakthrough moment. Access to the latest model still requires an invite code whether on mobile or the web version at sora.chatgpt.com.
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OpenAI‘s unexpected social pivot
Here’s what’s really interesting about Sora – it’s not just another AI tool. This is OpenAI’s first proper social app. Users can remix each other’s videos, follow creators, and even cast themselves and friends in AI-generated content. Basically, they’ve built what feels like a TikTok clone powered entirely by AI generation. That’s a significant departure from their previous products. While ChatGPT and DALL-E were productivity-focused tools, Sora leans into entertainment and social interaction. It makes you wonder – is OpenAI trying to compete with social platforms now?
Why the Asian market push matters
The choice of expansion markets tells a story. Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam represent some of the most digitally engaged populations in the world, particularly when it comes to mobile content creation and social media. These are markets where apps like TikTok have massive penetration and where users are already comfortable with short-form video content. By launching in these specific Asian countries alongside North America, OpenAI is clearly targeting users who are already primed for this type of platform. They’re not testing the waters – they’re going straight to where the action is.
The invite code bottleneck
Despite all this expansion, there’s still that pesky invite code requirement. Even with the Android launch and web availability, you can’t just download the app and start creating. This controlled rollout suggests OpenAI is still managing capacity and potentially curating the content being generated. It’s smart from a quality control perspective, but it does limit the viral potential they’re clearly hoping for. The million-dollar question is when they’ll flip the switch to open access. Given how fast they’re moving with platform expansion, it probably won’t be long.
