OpenAI's Sora Sees Downloads and Spending Drop

OpenAI's Sora Sees Post-Launch Drop in Downloads and Spending

After a rapid ascent to the top of the App Store in October, OpenAI's AI video app Sora has started losing momentum. New market data shows declines in both installs and consumer spending as early hype around the AI video social network cools.

Explosive launch, then a slowdown

Powered by OpenAI's video model Sora 2, the iOS app reached 100,000 installs on day one despite being invite-only. It quickly hit No. 1 on the U.S. App Store and reached 1 million downloads faster than ChatGPT. Its early growth was notable given the invite-only, iOS-only rollout.

Rapid early adoption gave way to a sustained decline in both downloads and in-app spending in the following months.

Recent performance metrics

Market intelligence firm Appfigures reports a 32% month-over-month drop in downloads in December. The decline accelerated in January 2026, with installs falling 45% month-over-month to 1.2 million. Consumer spending also slipped 32% month-over-month as of January.

Across iOS and Android, Sora has recorded about 9.6 million downloads and roughly $1.4 million in consumer spending to date. The U.S. accounts for the majority of that revenue (~$1.1 million), followed by Japan, Canada, South Korea, and Thailand. This month's in-app spending was $367,000, down from December's peak of $540,000.

Store rankings

• U.S. App Store: Sora fell out of the Top 100 Overall free apps and sits at No. 101.
• Best category rank: No. 7 in Photo & Video.
• Google Play (U.S.): Sora ranks No. 181 among top free apps.

What Sora does

Sora functions like an "AI-flavored TikTok." Users generate short AI videos from text prompts. Key features include:

• Ability to cast yourself or friends as characters.
• Shared videos that others can remix and customize.
• Support for music, sound effects, and dialogue.

Why the decline?

The drop in traction likely stems from several factors working together:

1. Stronger competition: Google's Gemini app (notably the Nano Banana model) and Meta AI launched competing features that drew user attention and downloads. In gaming news and broader mobile trends, competition for attention is intense.
2. Copyright and IP restrictions: Early versions of Sora allowed use of popular characters, which helped fuel viral content. OpenAI initially used an opt-out approach for studios and agencies, prompting backlash. The company later tightened controls, moved to an opt-in model for commercial IP and added restrictions to avoid legal risk.
3. Privacy and likeness concerns: Many users don't want their likeness remixed by others. As restrictions limited familiar faces and well-known IP, the social appeal cooled for some.

IP deals and moderation

OpenAI has tried to balance popularity with compliance. A recent deal with Disney lets users generate videos featuring Disney characters in Sora, but so far that announcement hasn't reversed the decline in installs or spending. The partnership also raises PR concerns because of inappropriate content some users previously created using popular characters.

Outlook: not dead, but challenged

Sora's current numbers are still significant and don't indicate the app is "dead." However, the declines are worrying and highlight the difficulty of converting a viral launch into lasting engagement. Future catalysts could include more IP partnerships, improved moderation, new social features, or integrations that tie into gaming news and creator communities.

Key takeaways

• Sora enjoyed a standout launch but has since seen sharp declines in downloads and spending.
• Competition from other AI apps and changes to IP policies likely contributed to the slowdown.
• Strategic IP deals and product changes will determine whether Sora can regain momentum.

OpenAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Reporter note: Sarah Perez has covered tech and mobile trends for years; contact via [email protected].