TLDR
- OpenAI is set to integrate Sora AI video generation capabilities directly into ChatGPT, The Information reports
- The standalone Sora mobile application debuted in September 2025 with a TikTok-inspired interface
- According to Appfigures analytics, January 2026 saw a 45% decline in monthly app installations
- By early 2026, Sora had disappeared from the top 100 apps on Apple’s U.S. App Store
- Even a partnership with Disney couldn’t reverse declining user engagement
According to a March 11, 2026 report from The Information, OpenAI is preparing to integrate its Sora AI video generation technology into the ChatGPT platform. The report draws on information from sources familiar with the company’s internal plans.
OpenAI has yet to publicly acknowledge this strategic shift. The company did not provide a response to comment requests made after standard business hours.
The Sora platform made its debut as an independent mobile application in September 2025. Users could produce and distribute AI-created videos through an interface reminiscent of TikTok’s design.
The application enabled video creation from written descriptions. Users could also generate content featuring copyrighted characters, which could then be posted to social media-like feeds within the app.
While the launch generated initial buzz, the platform encountered significant challenges entering 2026. Both download figures and revenue experienced steep declines.
TechCrunch reported in January 2026, citing Appfigures analytics, that Sora experienced a 45% month-over-month decrease in installations throughout January. Revenue from users declined proportionally during this period.
The application fell from Apple’s top 100 ranking on the U.S. App Store. Google’s Play Store showed comparable deterioration in performance.
OpenAI had established an agreement with Walt Disney to enable video creation featuring Disney intellectual property within Sora. This collaboration failed to produce sustained growth in user adoption.
ChatGPT Integration Strategy
Integrating Sora within ChatGPT would provide the video generation technology access to a substantially broader audience. ChatGPT maintains hundreds of millions of active users, dwarfing the user base that Sora secured independently.
The Information indicated that OpenAI intends to maintain the standalone Sora application alongside the ChatGPT integration. The company has not disclosed a specific timeline for the rollout.
Incorporating video generation capabilities into ChatGPT may substantially increase OpenAI’s infrastructure expenses. Video AI models demand significantly more computational resources than text-focused applications.
The AI Video Generation Landscape
Sora faces competition from video generation platforms developed by Meta and Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet. Both technology giants have committed substantial resources to text-to-video AI development.
This integration decision aligns with OpenAI’s broader initiative to expand beyond text-only applications. Industry observers view multimodal capabilities spanning video, imagery, and audio as the natural evolution for AI platforms.
Microsoft maintains a significant investment stake in OpenAI and has incorporated OpenAI technologies throughout its product ecosystem, including Bing search and Microsoft 365 productivity suite.
OpenAI’s approach suggests a deliberate effort to unify its various offerings under the ChatGPT brand, which continues to serve as its primary user-facing platform.
