OpenAI to Integrate Sora Video Generation into ChatGPT Following Standalone App Struggles

TLDR

• OpenAI intends to integrate Sora AI video generation directly into ChatGPT, according to The Information’s sources
• The standalone Sora mobile application debuted in September 2025 with a TikTok-inspired interface
• January 2026 saw installation numbers plummet 45% compared to the previous month, based on Appfigures analytics
• By early 2026, Sora had disappeared from Apple’s top 100 applications in the U.S. App Store
• Even a collaboration with Disney couldn’t reverse declining user engagement

According to sources familiar with the situation, OpenAI is developing plans to incorporate its Sora AI video generation technology directly into ChatGPT. The Information broke this story on March 11, 2026, citing insiders with direct knowledge of the initiative.

Official confirmation from OpenAI remains pending. The company failed to provide a statement when contacted during non-business hours.

Initially, Sora debuted as an independent mobile application in September 2025. The platform enabled users to produce and distribute AI-created video content through an interface that closely resembled TikTok’s design.

Users could input text descriptions to generate corresponding videos. The platform also permitted creation of content based on copyrighted intellectual property, which users could then post to social media-inspired feeds within the application.

While the launch generated initial buzz, the application encountered significant challenges entering 2026. Both installation rates and revenue from users experienced dramatic declines.

TechCrunch reported in January 2026, citing Appfigures analytics, that Sora experienced a 45% month-over-month decrease in installations during January. Revenue from users simultaneously declined.

The application slipped out of the top 100 rankings on Apple’s U.S. App Store. Google’s Play Store reflected similarly disappointing performance metrics.

OpenAI had established an agreement with Walt Disney to enable video generation featuring Disney intellectual property within Sora. However, this high-profile partnership failed to generate sustained user growth.

ChatGPT Integration Strategy

Incorporating Sora directly into ChatGPT would provide the video generation technology with exposure to a substantially larger audience. With hundreds of millions of active users, ChatGPT’s reach dwarfs the user base Sora achieved independently.

According to The Information’s reporting, OpenAI intends to maintain the standalone Sora application even after completing the ChatGPT integration. Specific timing for the rollout has not been disclosed.

Integrating video generation capabilities into ChatGPT will likely increase OpenAI’s infrastructure expenses. Video-based AI models require significantly more computational resources than text-focused applications.

The AI Video Generation Landscape

Sora faces competition from video generation platforms developed by Meta and Alphabet’s Google. Both technology giants have committed substantial resources to advancing text-to-video artificial intelligence capabilities.

This decision to embed Sora within ChatGPT represents part of OpenAI’s larger initiative to move beyond text-only functionality. Industry observers view multimodal platforms capable of processing video, images, and audio as the inevitable evolution of AI applications.

Microsoft maintains a significant investment position in OpenAI and has incorporated OpenAI’s technologies throughout its product ecosystem, including Bing search and Microsoft 365 productivity software.

OpenAI’s current approach suggests a strategic emphasis on unifying its various offerings under the ChatGPT umbrella, which continues to be the company’s most successful and widely adopted platform.

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