OpenAI "Limited Edition" Sora is highly popular, taking the top spot on the US Apple App Store on its fourth day online.

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Although it is a "limited edition" available only to invited users and launched in just two countries, OpenAI's AI video generation app—Sora—has already shown high popularity this week.

On Friday, October 3rd (ET), Sora topped the US Apple App Store's free apps list on its fourth day after launch, surpassing Google's Gemini and OpenAI's flagship app ChatGPT, showcasing strong consumer demand for AI video tools.

Sora officially launched on the Apple App Store this Tuesday. Through the app, users can generate short videos, re-edit videos created by other users, and post them to a shared feed. The app is currently only available in the US and Canada, and users need an invitation code to use it. According to app data and analytics provider Appfigures, Sora saw 56,000 downloads on its first day, even more on the second day, and reached a total of 164,000 installs over the first two days.

The rapidly rising download numbers and ranking of the Sora App indicate that AI video generation is becoming a new hotspot in consumer applications. Sora's project lead, Bill Peebles, wrote on social media Friday: "It’s amazing to see such a display of collective human creativity. The team is iterating quickly and listening to feedback."

However, some controversial content has appeared on the Sora App, such as videos depicting OpenAI CEO Sam Altman shopping, raising public concerns over its practicality and legality.

Sora’s Download Performance Surpasses Most AI Apps

According to a comparative analysis by Appfigures, Sora’s first-day downloads ranked in the middle among major AI apps. ChatGPT and Gemini’s iOS versions saw 81,000 and 80,000 downloads respectively on launch day, performing even better. Sora was tied with xAI's Grok, both with 56,000 downloads on the first day.

By comparison, Anthropic's Claude and Microsoft's Copilot lagged behind, with only 21,000 and 7,000 first-day downloads, respectively.

In terms of app rankings, ChatGPT claimed the top spot on its second day after launch. Sora ranked third on its second day, while on their second days, Grok ranked fourth, Gemini sixth, Copilot nineteenth, and Claude seventy-eighth.

Given that Sora is still invitation-only, limited to iOS devices, and only available in the US and Canada, its actual market potential could be even greater. If opened to all users, the download numbers could significantly increase.

Technology Upgrades and Security Considerations

Sora comes equipped with OpenAI’s latest video and audio generation model, Sora 2. According to OpenAI’s blog, the model can create "highly realistic" scenes and sounds. This is a technological upgrade following the initial release of the Sora model in February 2024.

To address potential security concerns, OpenAI says it has taken measures such as giving users clear control over how their likeness is used on the platform. However, some initial video content on the app has already sparked controversy.

Altman admitted to the related challenges in a post on social media Tuesday. He wrote: "It is easy to imagine the degenerative scenarios in AI video generation where we all end up sucked into algorithmically optimized junk content feeds. The team has invested a lot of effort and energy trying to build a delightful product that avoids such traps, and have come up with some promising ideas."

Market Prospects and Competitive Landscape

Sora’s success shows strong consumer demand for AI video tools, especially in social networked experiences.

As of this Friday, OpenAI holds two of the top three spots in the Apple App Store’s free app rankings, highlighting its leadership in consumer-level AI applications.

The rapid success of the Sora App also reflects the shift of AI video generation technology from professional tools to consumer-grade applications. Although it faces challenges regarding safety and content quality, Sora’s market performance sends a positive signal for the commercialization prospects of AI video apps.

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