OpenAI in talks to give a startup deep access to Sora for filmmaker tools

OpenAI is negotiating with a startup over deep access to Sora, its text-to-video generative AI model. The goal is to build AI video tools designed specifically for filmmakers. The startup has not been named. The deal terms and timeline have not been disclosed either, which is standard for talks still in progress. What’s on the table The talks center on a third party getting privileged access to Sora so it can build specialized products on top of it. Those products would serve people who make films for a living, not casual users who want a cat riding a skateboard through Tokyo. The arrangement also fits a pattern. OpenAI has been pursuing selective partnerships around Sora rather than simply opening the floodgates. It has previously held discussions with major studios, including Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros., about custom versions of Sora for their own internal use. How Sora got here OpenAI first previewed Sora in February 2024. At the time, access was limited to a select group of researchers and artists who could test the model and provide feedback. The public launch followed in late 2024. Sora arrived positioned as a cutting-edge tool for generating video from text prompts, ...