OpenAI has announced the termination of its AI video generator, Sora, with the shutdown set for April 26, 2023. This move is expected to benefit competing companies like Kling AI and RunwayML, which are already experiencing growth in user engagement. Kling AI, affiliated with China’s Kuaishou Technology, reported a 4% increase in global weekly active users, reaching approximately 2.6 million, following the news of Sora's closure.
As of March, Kling AI had an impressive 7.8 million global monthly active users, significantly surpassing Sora’s 4.7 million. The challenges faced by AI video generators like Sora highlight the demanding operational costs and technological hurdles in this rapidly changing landscape. Meanwhile, RunwayML and Vidu also noted user growth, each reporting a 1% rise in weekly active users during the same timeframe.
As demand for AI video tools continues to grow among creatives and marketers, the discontinuation of Sora may open up new market opportunities for smaller competitors. Major tech firms, including Alphabet Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc., have recently integrated video generation features into their platforms, although specific metrics for usage have not been shared.