OpenAI removes Sora 2 waitlist in 4 countries temporarily

OpenAI has temporarily removed the waitlist requirement for Sora 2, its AI video generator, allowing users in the US, Canada, Japan, and South Korea to download and access the app directly from app stores without needing an invitation. The company hasn’t specified how long this open access period will last, suggesting users should act quickly to secure access to what has become one of the most popular AI video generators available.

What you should know: Sora 2 launched initially with an invite-only system that required existing users to send invitations to new users.

• The temporary waitlist removal is currently limited to four countries: the United States, Canada, Japan, and South Korea.
• OpenAI hasn’t provided a timeline for how long the open access will remain available, creating urgency for potential users.
• This appears to be a controlled rollout strategy to prevent server overload, as OpenAI has previously struggled with overwhelming demand when launching features globally at once.

Why this stands out: Sora 2 has gained popularity partly due to its more lenient content safeguards compared to competitors, allowing users greater freedom in recreating characters and people.

• Users can generate videos featuring portraits of celebrities and fictional characters, capabilities that are more restricted on competing platforms.
• This flexibility has resulted in both increased user adoption and legal challenges, with OpenAI facing “a number of lawsuits and copyright strikes from famous people or their families.”

Competitive landscape: When tested against Google’s Veo 3.1, Sora 2 emerged as the winner in a close comparison, particularly excelling in realism, visual style, and storytelling capabilities.

• For users outside the eligible regions, alternatives include Google’s Veo 3, Kling 2.5 Pro, and Midjourney’s video generator.
• The competitive advantage appears to center on Sora 2’s focus on realistic output quality and narrative coherence.

The bigger picture: OpenAI’s cautious rollout strategy reflects lessons learned from previous launches where immediate global availability led to capacity issues and reduced service quality due to overwhelming popularity.