Sora Updates Rightholder Controls, Revenue Sharing, and API Pricing

OpenAI is making two significant changes to Sora based on user feedback since the video generation tool's public launch, according to a blog post from CEO Sam Altman.

Key Updates

• Enhanced rightsholder controls: OpenAI will switch its IP control from opt-out to opt-in, giving IP owners more granular control over how their characters can be generated, including the ability to block usage entirely

• Revenue sharing program: The company plans to share video generation revenue with rightsholders whose characters are being used by creators. Altman notes that users are generating "much more than expected per user" with many videos created for small audiences

• Rapid iteration planned: OpenAI expects "a very high rate of change" similar to ChatGPT's early development, with quick responses to feedback and course corrections

Altman describes rightsholders as "very excited" about what he calls "interactive fan fiction," though the exact revenue sharing model is still being developed. The company acknowledges that some unauthorized generations may slip through initially as they refine their content controls.

Prepare for the Sora floodgates to open: OpenAI also announced Sora 2 API (currently the only way to create was in the Sora app with watermarked videos), with pricing starting at $0.10 per second for Sora 2 (720×1280 or 1280×720) and scaling up to $0.50 per second for Sora 2 Pro (1024×1792 or 1792×1024)