OpenAI’s AI-powered video app Sora is facing a noticeable drop in interest just months after a highly successful launch that saw it climb to the top of the U.S. App Store charts. When Sora first arrived in late 2025, it quickly reached more than one million downloads and outran even OpenAI’s ChatGPT for early adoption, topping app-store rankings in a way that excited industry watchers.
But recent data from app analytics firm Appfigures show that momentum has slowed. In December 2025, Sora’s monthly downloads fell by about 32 percent from the prior month, an unusual trend given the holiday season usually boosts app installs. That decline continued into January 2026, with downloads dropping another 45 percent to roughly 1.2 million. Consumer spending in the app also slid by about a third over the same period, suggesting users are not only installing the app less but also spending less inside it.
The app combines artificial intelligence video generation with a short-form social feed that lets users create and share clips based on text prompts and optional “cameos” that insert people into videos. At launch, its unique features helped it grow quickly, even in an invite-only phase.
Experts say Sora’s rapid early rise may have been driven in part by curiosity and the novelty of AI-generated content, but sustaining long-term user engagement is proving difficult. Sora faces stiff competition from rival AI products, including offerings tied to Google’s Gemini and Meta’s AI tools, which are also pushing into video and creative content features.
OpenAI has not publicly commented on the drop in use or spending. The company earlier made waves by building Sora on its Sora 2 model, and by adding Android support and other expansions, but those moves have not yet halted the slowdown.
Some analysts suggest that the initial surge reflected a mix of hype and novelty rather than deep engagement, and others point to copyright concerns and legal pressure over AI-generated content as factors that could affect long-term interest. As the app continues to evolve, it will need new features, stronger community incentives, or clearer value for users to regain growth after its early decline.
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