The new AI model named Sora from OpenAI can create videos up to a minute long with intricate camera movement, numerous characters with vivid emotions, and extremely detailed scenes. It can also add new content to already-existing footage or make videos from still images.
Sora functions by asking the user to provide a brief, descriptive prompt, like “A stylish woman walks down a Tokyo street filled with warm glowing neon and animated city signage.” Using a vast corpus of videos that it has watched and learned from, it then decodes the prompt and mimics the motion of the real world.

Examples of SORA Videos based on Prompts

OpenAI’s Sora can generate videos up to a minute long while maintaining visual quality and adherence to the user’s prompt.

Woman walks downtown Tokyo

Prompt: A stylish woman walks down a Tokyo street filled with warm glowing neon and animated city signage. She wears a black leather jacket, a long red dress, and black boots, and carries a black purse. She wears sunglasses and red lipstick. She walks confidently and casually. The street is damp and reflective, creating a mirror effect of the colorful lights. Many pedestrians walk about.

Giant wooly mammoths

Prompt: Several giant wooly mammoths approach treading through a snowy meadow, their long wooly fur lightly blows in the wind as they walk, snow covered trees and dramatic snow capped mountains in the distance, mid afternoon light with wispy clouds and a sun high in the distance creates a warm glow, the low camera view is stunning capturing the large furry mammal with beautiful photography, depth of field. 

Adventures of the 30 year old space man

Prompt: A movie trailer featuring the adventures of the 30 year old space man wearing a red wool knitted motorcycle helmet, blue sky, salt desert, cinematic style, shot on 35mm film, vivid colors. 

Waves crashing against  rugged cliffs

Prompt: Drone view of waves crashing against the rugged cliffs along Big Sur’s garay point beach. The crashing blue waters create white-tipped waves, while the golden light of the setting sun illuminates the rocky shore. A small island with a lighthouse sits in the distance, and green shrubbery covers the cliff’s edge. The steep drop from the road down to the beach is a dramatic feat, with the cliff’s edges jutting out over the sea. This is a view that captures the raw beauty of the coast and the rugged landscape of the Pacific Coast Highway. 

Short fluffy monster

Prompt: Animated scene features a close-up of a short fluffy monster kneeling beside a melting red candle. The art style is 3D and realistic, with a focus on lighting and texture. The mood of the painting is one of wonder and curiosity, as the monster gazes at the flame with wide eyes and open mouth. Its pose and expression convey a sense of innocence and playfulness, as if it is exploring the world around it for the first time. The use of warm colors and dramatic lighting further enhances the cozy atmosphere of the image.

Papercraft world of a coral reef

Prompt: A gorgeously rendered papercraft world of a coral reef, rife with colorful fish and sea creatures.

Victoria crowned pigeon

Prompt: This close-up shot of a Victoria crowned pigeon showcases its striking blue plumage and red chest. Its crest is made of delicate, lacy feathers, while its eye is a striking red color. The bird’s head is tilted slightly to the side, giving the impression of it looking regal and majestic. The background is blurred, drawing attention to the bird’s striking appearance. 

Pirate ships battling in cup of coffee.

 
Prompt: Photorealistic closeup video of two pirate ships battling each other as they sail inside a cup of coffee.

Man sitting on a piece of cloud in the sky

Prompt: A young man at his 20s is sitting on a piece of cloud in the sky, reading a book. 

California during the gold rush

Prompt: Historical footage of California during the gold rush. 

Glass sphere with zen garden

Prompt: A close up view of a glass sphere that has a zen garden within it. There is a small dwarf in the sphere who is raking the zen garden and creating patterns in the sand.

Kangaroo disco dances

Prompt: A cartoon kangaroo disco dances.

People of Lagos, Nigeria

Prompt: A beautiful homemade video showing the people of Lagos, Nigeria in the year 2056. Shot with a mobile phone camera.

Bamboo forest with  Pandas

Prompt: A petri dish with a bamboo forest growing within it that has tiny red pandas running around.

Stack of vintage televisions

Prompt: The camera rotates around a large stack of vintage televisions all showing different programs — 1950s sci-fi movies, horror movies, news, static, a 1970s sitcom, etc, set inside a large New York museum gallery.

Fluffy creature

Prompt: 3D animation of a small, round, fluffy creature with big, expressive eyes explores a vibrant, enchanted forest. The creature, a whimsical blend of a rabbit and a squirrel, has soft blue fur and a bushy, striped tail. It hops along a sparkling stream, its eyes wide with wonder. The forest is alive with magical elements: flowers that glow and change colors, trees with leaves in shades of purple and silver, and small floating lights that resemble fireflies. The creature stops to interact playfully with a group of tiny, fairy-like beings dancing around a mushroom ring. The creature looks up in awe at a large, glowing tree that seems to be the heart of the forest.  

White vintage SUV

Prompt: The camera follows behind a white vintage SUV with a black roof rack as it speeds up a steep dirt road surrounded by pine trees on a steep mountain slope, dust kicks up from it’s tires, the sunlight shines on the SUV as it speeds along the dirt road, casting a warm glow over the scene. The dirt road curves gently into the distance, with no other cars or vehicles in sight. The trees on either side of the road are redwoods, with patches of greenery scattered throughout. The car is seen from the rear following the curve with ease, making it seem as if it is on a rugged drive through the rugged terrain. The dirt road itself is surrounded by steep hills and mountains, with a clear blue sky above with wispy clouds. 

Window of a train traveling in Tokyo

Prompt: Reflections in the window of a train traveling through the Tokyo suburbs. 

Historic church from a drone camera

Prompt: A drone camera circles around a beautiful historic church built on a rocky outcropping along the Amalfi Coast, the view showcases historic and magnificent architectural details and tiered pathways and patios, waves are seen crashing against the rocks below as the view overlooks the horizon of the coastal waters and hilly landscapes of the Amalfi Coast Italy, several distant people are seen walking and enjoying vistas on patios of the dramatic ocean views, the warm glow of the afternoon sun creates a magical and romantic feeling to the scene, the view is stunning captured with beautiful photography.

Orange octopus

Prompt: A large orange octopus is seen resting on the bottom of the ocean floor, blending in with the sandy and rocky terrain. Its tentacles are spread out around its body, and its eyes are closed. The octopus is unaware of a king crab that is crawling towards it from behind a rock, its claws raised and ready to attack. The crab is brown and spiny, with long legs and antennae. The scene is captured from a wide angle, showing the vastness and depth of the ocean. The water is clear and blue, with rays of sunlight filtering through. The shot is sharp and crisp, with a high dynamic range. The octopus and the crab are in focus, while the background is slightly blurred, creating a depth of field effect.

Paper airplanes flutters through a dense jungle

Prompt: A flock of paper airplanes flutters through a dense jungle, weaving around trees as if they were migrating birds.

Cat with sleeping owner

Prompt: A cat waking up its sleeping owner demanding breakfast. The owner tries to ignore the cat, but the cat tries new tactics and finally the owner pulls out a secret stash of treats from under the pillow to hold the cat off a little longer. 

Borneo wildlife

Prompt: Borneo wildlife on the Kinabatangan River 

Chinese Lunar New Year

Prompt: A Chinese Lunar New Year celebration video with Chinese Dragon. 

Tour of an art gallery

Prompt: Tour of an art gallery with many beautiful works of art in different styles.

Snowy Tokyo city

Prompt: Beautiful, snowy Tokyo city is bustling. The camera moves through the bustling city street, following several people enjoying the beautiful snowy weather and shopping at nearby stalls. Gorgeous sakura petals are flying through the wind along with snowflakes.

Flower growing

Prompt: A stop motion animation of a flower growing out of the windowsill of a suburban house.

Robot’s life

Prompt: The story of a robot’s life in a cyberpunk setting.

Gray-haired man

Prompt: An extreme close-up of an gray-haired man with a beard in his 60s, he is deep in thought pondering the history of the universe as he sits at a cafe in Paris, his eyes focus on people offscreen as they walk as he sits mostly motionless, he is dressed in a wool coat suit coat with a button-down shirt , he wears a brown beret and glasses and has a very professorial appearance, and the end he offers a subtle closed-mouth smile as if he found the answer to the mystery of life, the lighting is very cinematic with the golden light and the Parisian streets and city in the background, depth of field, cinematic 35mm film.

Wolf howling at the moon

Prompt: A beautiful silhouette animation shows a wolf howling at the moon, feeling lonely, until it finds its pack.

 NYC submerged like Atlantis

Prompt: New York City submerged like Atlantis. Fish, whales, sea turtles and sharks swim through the streets of New York.

Puppies playing in the snow

Prompt: A litter of golden retriever puppies playing in the snow. Their heads pop out of the snow, covered in.

Person running

Prompt: Step-printing scene of a person running, cinematic film shot in 35mm.

Five gray wolf

Prompt: Five gray wolf pups frolicking and chasing each other around a remote gravel road, surrounded by grass. The pups run and leap, chasing each other, and nipping at each other, playing.

Basketball

Prompt: Basketball through hoop then explodes.

Generic plastic chair in the desert

Prompt: Archeologists discover a generic plastic chair in the desert, excavating and dusting it with great care.

 

Grandmother birthday

Prompt: A grandmother with neatly combed grey hair stands behind a colorful birthday cake with numerous candles at a wood dining room table, expression is one of pure joy and happiness, with a happy glow in her eye. She leans forward and blows out the candles with a gentle puff, the cake has pink frosting and sprinkles and the candles cease to flicker, the grandmother wears a light blue blouse adorned with floral patterns, several happy friends and family sitting at the table can be seen celebrating, out of focus. The scene is beautifully captured, cinematic, showing a 3/4 view of the grandmother and the dining room. Warm color tones and soft lighting enhance the mood.

Colorful buildings in burano italy

Prompt: The camera directly faces colorful buildings in burano italy. An adorable dalmation looks through a window on a building on the ground floor. Many people are walking and cycling along the canal streets in front of the buildings.

Adorable happy

Prompt: An adorable happy otter confidently stands on a surfboard wearing a yellow lifejacket, riding along turquoise tropical waters near lush tropical islands, 3D digital render art style.

Close-up shot of a chameleon

Prompt: This close-up shot of a chameleon showcases its striking color changing capabilities. The background is blurred, drawing attention to the animal’s striking appearance.

Dog vlogging itself in tropical Maui

Prompt: A corgi vlogging itself in tropical Maui.

orange tabby cat

Prompt: A white and orange tabby cat is seen happily darting through a dense garden, as if chasing something. Its eyes are wide and happy as it jogs forward, scanning the branches, flowers, and leaves as it walks. The path is narrow as it makes its way between all the plants. the scene is captured from a ground-level angle, following the cat closely, giving a low and intimate perspective. The image is cinematic with warm tones and a grainy texture. The scattered daylight between the leaves and plants above creates a warm contrast, accentuating the cat’s orange fur. The shot is clear and sharp, with a shallow depth of field.

Santorini during the blue hour

Prompt: Aerial view of Santorini during the blue hour, showcasing the stunning architecture of white Cycladic buildings with blue domes. The caldera views are breathtaking, and the lighting creates a beautiful, serene atmosphere.

Construction site filled with workers

Prompt: Tiltshift of a construction site filled with workers, equipment, and heavy machinery.

A giant, towering cloud

Prompt: A giant, towering cloud in the shape of a man looms over the earth. The cloud man shoots lighting bolts down to the earth.

Dogs  playing

Prompt: A Samoyed and a Golden Retriever dog are playfully romping through a futuristic neon city at night. The neon lights emitted from the nearby buildings glistens off of their fur.

Historic railway bridge

Prompt: The Glenfinnan Viaduct is a historic railway bridge in Scotland, UK, that crosses over the west highland line between the towns of Mallaig and Fort William. It is a stunning sight as a steam train leaves the bridge, traveling over the arch-covered viaduct. The landscape is dotted with lush greenery and rocky mountains, creating a picturesque backdrop for the train journey. The sky is blue and the sun is shining, making for a beautiful day to explore this majestic spot.

SORA Model for Generating videos

Sora is a diffusion model, which generates a video by starting off with one that looks like static noise and gradually transforms it by removing the noise over many steps.

Sora is capable of generating entire videos all at once or extending generated videos to make them longer. By giving the model foresight of many frames at a time,   the challenging problem of making sure a subject stays the same even when it goes out of view temporarily.

Similar to GPT models, Sora uses a transformer architecture, unlocking superior scaling performance.

Sora builds on past research in DALL·E and GPT models. It uses the recaptioning technique from DALL·E 3, which involves generating highly descriptive captions for the visual training data. As a result, the model is able to follow the user’s text instructions in the generated video more faithfully.

In addition to being able to generate a video solely from text instructions, the model is able to take an existing still image and generate a video from it, animating the image’s contents with accuracy and attention to small detail. The model can also take an existing video and extend it or fill in missing frames.

Sora serves as a foundation for models that can understand and simulate the real world, a capability we believe will be an important milestone for achieving AGI.

What are the challenges and limitations of Sora?

Sora is not perfect, and it still faces some challenges and limitations. Some of them are:

  • Sora is not publicly available, and it is only accessible to a small group of researchers and creative professionals for feedback and testing.
  • OpenAI has not announced when or how it will release Sora to the general public, or what the pricing and licensing model will be.
  • The terms of service for OpenAI apply to Sora and state that it cannot be used to create content involving “extreme violence, sexual content, hateful imagery, celebrity likeness, or the IP of others.” OpenAI also keeps an eye on how Sora is used, and if it notices any misuse or violations, it has the authority to change the output or deny access.
  • Sora has the potential to produce content that is unreliable, improper, or damaging. This could include facts being misrepresented, privacy being violated, or bias being encouraged.
  • Additionally, Sora might produce content that is identical to reality, which could have negative ethical and societal effects like disseminating false information, inciting fear, or undermining confidence.
  • Sora might not be able to respond to questions that are unclear or complicated, like those that require multiple sentences, logical thinking, or abstract concepts. Videos that need temporal continuity, causal relationships, or narrative structure may not be produced by Sora. It may also fail to produce videos that are consistent or coherent.

How to learn more about Sora?

If you are interested in learning more about Sora and seeing it in action, you can check out the following resources:

OpenAI’s blog post introducing Sora and showing some examples of its output.

Sam Altman’s tweet announcing Sora and sharing a video of a dog walking on the moon.

Sora’s website where you can sign up for early access and see more videos created by Sora.

Sora’s YouTube channel where you can watch more videos generated by Sora and subscribe for updates.

Sora’s Instagram account where you can see more images and videos created by Sora and follow for more content.