Beware of Phony Sora Apps on the Apple App Store: A Comprehensive Guide
The demand for Sora, OpenAI's exclusive AI video app for iOS users, is soaring. Scammers are taking advantage of this high demand by creating phony Sora apps, which have managed to bypass Apple's App Store review process. TechCrunch reported that at least a dozen copycat apps were available on the App Store after Sora's launch, although most have since been removed. As of now, no copycat apps with the exact name 'Sora' exist, but there are other AI video apps claiming access to the underlying Sora 2 generative AI video model.
However, some phony Sora listings are still live on the Google Play app store, with names like 'Sora 2 Video Maker'. It's crucial to note that these are not unrelated apps but rather fraudulent listings. The Sora app is currently exclusive to iOS users in the United States and Canada, with plans to expand to other countries soon. It's free to download, but you'll need an invite code to access its features.
To ensure you're downloading the genuine Sora app, look for the 'by OpenAI' label, as it's still the top-ranked app on the App Store. Mashable is testing the app against other AI video models like Google Veo 3 and LumaAI's Ray3, and we'll share our findings soon. In the meantime, exercise caution when downloading apps from app stores. Don't assume an app's safety just because it's listed; always verify its authenticity.
A fun fact: The Sora feed initially featured videos of copyrighted characters like SpongeBob Squarepants, Pokémon, and Rick and Morty, sparking copyright drama. Ziff Davis, Mashable's parent company, has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging copyright infringement in training and operating its AI systems.
