Alongside the news of OpenAI’s launch of Sora 2, the company’s latest version of its flagship video generation model, a new social app has also been introduced. Simply called “Sora” and available for iOS devices here at launch, this new social app is quite intriguing for content creators, brand marketers, and professional videographers for many reasons.
As a new social app, Sora could challenge the likes of TikTok and Instagram with its AI-generated content. It also could change how social content in general is created, distributed, and consumed.
While it might take several months, if not years, for the Sora social app to develop to its ultimate powers, it's crucial for anyone looking to stay ahead of the social video content game to at least monitor its progress.
So if you are asking, ‘What is Sora?,’ let’s take a look at what we know about the Sora social AI app and explore what it could eventually become as it grows and develops.
What is the Sora Social App?
Announced by OpenAI as part of the company’s introduction to Sora 2, the Sora social iOS app is a continuation of the company’s “upload yourself” feature, which it released several months ago. OpenAI calls it “a natural evolution of communication” as it evolved from text messages and emojis to video.
Powered by Sora 2, the new social iOS app allows users to create and remix each other’s generations. Users can scroll and discover new videos in a customizable news feed, which appears to operate similarly to other popular platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
The Sora social app will also allow users to create cameos where they can drop themselves into any of the scenes that they’ve made using the Sora 2 generative AI model. Users can also access short one-time video and audio recordings in the app to verify their identity and capture their likeness.
Who can access the Sora social app?
Originally launched internally for the OpenAI team, the Sora social app is available now for anyone to download. Here’s a link to find it on the Apple App Store. However, while it’s free to download, it’s only available for use by those with invite codes at launch.
OpenAI shares that users can sign up in-app to receive push notifications when access opens for their accounts, and that initial rollouts in the U.S. and Canada will continue over the next few months.
How do Sora cameos work?
While the Sora social app might still evolve, its main feature at launch is the ability for users to create cameos to share with their friends. To generate a video with a cameo in the Sora social app, users simply need to use an “@” mention of a friend in their text prompt and then record a video of themselves with instructions to the AI describing the scenario that they would like for the prompt.
Sora’s AI will generate a video that the user can review or possibly tweak before approving it to be sent to their friend. Users will also be able to create new versions of other people’s cameos as a way to respond or create a new video based on previous Sora cameos.
How does music work in the Sora social app?
Again, with the Sora social app being so new, everything is subject to change. But, at launch, music in the Sora social app works in two ways: automatic audio generation and user-uploaded audio.
For automatic audio generation, the Sora AI video model can create videos, scenes, and environments with sound, music, and even dialogue based on a user’s prompt. For the importing of external music, the Sora app appears to operate similarly to other social apps like TikTok, Instagram, Twitch, etc.
It’s worth noting, though, that even at launch, the Sora social app appears to have a system in place to block the generation of music that imitates living artists or that could possibly violate any copyrights.
Audio safeguards in the Sora social app
Along with the news of Sora 2 and the Sora social app, OpenAI has also shared an outline for how the company is aiming to launch Sora responsibly. This outline details endeavors to distinguish AI content with watermarks, provide consent-based likeness for users and individuals, and provide safeguards for teens.
The company also offers audio safeguards that aim to raise the bar for safety by automatically scanning transcripts of generated speech for potential policy violations.
The app also promises to block attempts to generate music that imitates living artists or existing works. When the system detects such violations, it will stop such prompts while honoring takedown requests from creators who believe Sora output infringes on their work.
Royalty free music for the Sora social app
If you’re someone gearing up to start creating content and cameos in the Sora social app, your best bet for working with music is likely going to be the same as you’ll find for working with copyrighted music in any other social apps.
We’ve outlined several guides on how to use copyrighted music on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitch, etc, and have plenty of resources with lists of recommended royalty free music tracks to use for these various social platforms.
If you’re looking for music to use in the Sora social app, here are some top recommendations to check out.
- Description: A medium-energy, rock song that is best described as angry and fun. Guitar and electric guitar are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 155
- Key: G Major
- Listen and license here
- Description: A medium-energy, pop song that is best described as fun and happy. Piano and bass are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 85
- Key: Ab/G# Majo
- Listen and license here
3. Skylights In Wonder by Strength To Last
- Description: A medium-energy, electronic song that is best described as chill and fun. Ambient tones and drums are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 95
- Key: A Minor
- Listen and license here
- Description: A high-energy, electronic song that is best described as happy and hopeful. Synth and bass are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 122
- Key: G Minor
- Listen and license here
- Description: A medium-energy, electronic song that is best described as fun and happy. Synth and samples are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 100
- Key: Ab/G# Major
- Listen and license here
6. Next Door Stomp by Rest & Settle
- Description: A low-energy, acoustic song that is best described as calm and reflective. Guitar and acoustic guitar are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 83
- Key: A Major
- Listen and license here
- Description: A medium-energy, electronic song that is best described as hopeful and inspiring. Synth and piano are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 103
- Key: Bb/A# Major
- Listen and license here
- Description: A high-energy, score song that is best described as suspenseful and inspiring. Strings and cello are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 170
- Key: E Minor
- Listen and license here
9. Running Next To You by Andy Shaw
- Description: A medium-energy, rock song that is best described as happy and hopeful. Guitar and electric guitar are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 124
- Key: Eb/D# Major
- Listen and license here
10. Life In Pastels by Matt Wigton
- Description: A medium-energy, electronic song that is best described as chill and happy. Synth and drums are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 102
- Key: Eb/D# Major
- Listen and license here
You can explore more royalty free music playlists on the Soundstripe app, which can give you more options for your Sora social app videos.
