Sora
Sora 2 is OpenAI's text-to-video model — built into ChatGPT, with longer clips, better physics and a storyboard editor.
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TL;DR
Sora 2 is the video AI with the cleanest physics and the best prompt fidelity, especially for indoor motion, water effects and fabric simulation. If you’re already on ChatGPT Plus, you get the generator without extra cost. For pure studio workflows that don’t sit inside ChatGPT, Runway remains a viable option — but the gap is closing.
Who benefits in practice
Sora fits three clearly distinguishable profiles. First: editorial and marketing clips — this is where the bulk of daily usage sits. Second: concept visualisations, where the tool acts as an accelerator rather than the sole solution. Third: storyboard animatics — more of a bonus use case combined with existing workflows.
Strengths in detail
The core features in practical use: Text-to-Video up to 20 seconds in 1080p. Storyboard UI with shot-by-shot prompts. Remix existing clips via Re-Cut. The combination makes Sora a tool that slots into existing pipelines well — especially when ChatGPT Plus or ChatGPT Pro are already part of the stack.
What to watch out for
The headline caveat: peak-time waits of 5–15 minutes. On top of that, no dedicated api tier outside chatgpt (may 2026). If you build that into expectations and don’t treat Sora as a silver bullet, you get a reliable tool — but the expectation needs to be realistic, especially when integrating into European compliance requirements.
Core features
- Text-to-Video up to 20 seconds in 1080p
- Storyboard UI with shot-by-shot prompts
- Remix existing clips via Re-Cut
- Built into ChatGPT Plus and Pro
✓ Strengths
- Best physics and motion quality in its class
- Available inside the ChatGPT workflow
- Storyboard editor reduces re-renders
⚠ Limitations
- Peak-time waits of 5–15 minutes
- No dedicated API tier outside ChatGPT (May 2026)
- Restrictions on people prompts
Typical use cases
- Editorial and marketing clips
- Concept visualisations
- Storyboard animatics
Integrations
- ChatGPT Plus
- ChatGPT Pro
Frequently asked questions
Do I need ChatGPT Plus for Sora?
Yes — Sora 2 ships with ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) with limits, or Pro ($200/month) for higher quotas and 1080p output.
How long can clips be?
Up to 20 seconds at 1080p; with Pro you can chain shots through the Storyboard module for longer scenes.
Is there an API?
Currently only limited API access through OpenAI's image-generation endpoints; a full video API tier is announced for 2026 but not yet public.
Ready for Sora?
Try it now on the official site.
Open Sora →