OpenAI shuts down Sora app April 2026, API follows September 2026
OpenAI is shutting down Sora in two phases: the web app and mobile application close April 26, 2026, followed by the API on September 24, 2026. Users must export their videos and images before the cutoff dates, as user data will be permanently deleted afterward. The discontinuation reflects OpenAI's strategic shift toward coding tools and enterprise products.
OpenAI is discontinuing Sora across two phases, according to announcements on its help page. The web and mobile app version of Sora shuts down on April 26, 2026, with the Sora API following on September 24, 2026.
Export Deadline and Data Deletion
Users must download their content before the respective cutoff dates. Videos and images can be exported directly from the Sora library. OpenAI has not yet decided whether it will offer a final export window after the official shutdown dates. If one is provided, affected users will receive email notification.
Once all deadlines pass, user data will be permanently deleted. The shutdown includes the sora.chatgpt.com platform, which handled both image and video generation through the service.
Strategic Reorientation
The discontinuation reflects OpenAI's broader resource allocation strategy. The company is redirecting compute capacity toward coding tools and enterprise customers—a move that mirrors competitor Anthropic's recent priorities. Additionally, OpenAI is consolidating its offerings into a unified super app that integrates ChatGPT with other tools.
Sora will continue as a research project focused on world models, with OpenAI stating its long-term objective is "automating the physical economy." This distinction separates the commercial product from ongoing AI research efforts.
What This Means
OpenAI's decision reflects the economic reality of generative video: maintaining production-grade infrastructure for Sora's limited user base diverts resources from higher-priority revenue streams (enterprise APIs and coding products). The two-stage shutdown provides a migration window, though nine months between app closure and API shutdown may create confusion about which service remains operational. Users relying on Sora for production workflows should begin identifying alternatives immediately.
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