According to engadget, OpenAI’s Sora text-to-video app has launched on Android through the Google Play Store while the iOS version remains invitation-only in select markets. The app reportedly reached more than 1 million downloads in less than five days despite limited availability. However, OpenAI immediately faced controversy over users creating disrespectful clips of Martin Luther King Jr. and drawing censure from the Japanese government over copycats of famous manga and anime. The company was also sued by Cameo for copyright infringement, and the very next day released a feature called “cameo” for putting existing entities into Sora’s AI videos.
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The monetization playbook
Here’s the thing about OpenAI‘s strategy with Sora – they’re basically speedrunning the generative AI controversy playbook we saw with image generators. Get the tech out there, let it go viral through controversy, then figure out the business model later. The timing of that “cameo” feature release right after the lawsuit? That’s not a coincidence. It’s a pretty bold move that shows they’re not backing down from the persona licensing space.
And that’s where the real money is. Think about it – if they can license celebrity likenesses or brand characters, suddenly Sora becomes a tool for actual commercial content creation rather than just meme generation. But the legal challenges are piling up fast. Between the MLK clips angering civil rights groups and Japan’s government getting involved over anime copyright, OpenAI’s walking through a minefield.
Why Android matters now
The Android launch is interesting timing. They’re clearly trying to capitalize on that initial viral momentum while the iOS version is still gated. A million downloads in five days is insane for an app that’s supposedly “limited availability.” It shows the hunger for this technology, even with all the ethical concerns.
But here’s my question: are they expanding too fast before they’ve solved the moderation problems? The MLK and anime incidents happened within days of launch. Now they’re opening the floodgates to Android’s much larger user base. That feels like pouring gasoline on a fire they’re already struggling to contain.
Basically, OpenAI’s betting that the growth and eventual monetization through persona licensing will outweigh the legal costs and PR headaches. It’s a risky calculation, but one that’s worked for them before. The question is whether video generation crosses some invisible line that image generation didn’t.
