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OpenAI’s Sora web and app experiences ended on April 26, 2026, and the API’s stated shutdown date was September 24, 2026. Disney did not complete the announced $1 billion investment: it said in May 2026 that it would not proceed after OpenAI chose to shut down Sora. The timeline supports a planned, conditional investment that was abandoned—not a completed $1 billion transfer that was later pulled back.
Is Sora shutting down, and when did it stop working?
Sora’s consumer web and app experiences ended on April 26, 2026. OpenAI’s Help Center listed September 24, 2026, as the API discontinuation date; that date has also passed. OpenAI’s notice and current export guidance are on its Sora discontinuation Help Center page.
OpenAI introduced its original Sora research model in February 2024. In September 2025, it announced Sora 2 and a social iOS app for creating, remixing, and discovering videos. The company described Sora 2 as a video-and-audio generation model and also framed the work as research toward systems that simulate the physical world. The Sora 2 announcement now notes that Sora is no longer available; the end of the product does not, by itself, establish that all related research has stopped.
Can you still use Sora or download your videos?
You can no longer use the ended Sora web and app experiences, and the API’s published end date has passed. If you have creations or other data to retrieve, follow OpenAI’s current Sora sunset export instructions promptly. OpenAI says associated data will be permanently deleted after the period for any final export window, if offered, has passed. Because the export flow and availability can change, use the Help Center rather than relying on old interface directions.
#1 Best Overall
- Size : 30.8 x 17.4 x 8.6 cm
- Body size: Total height: about 160 mm
- (C)Disney. (C)SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.
Did Disney actually invest $1 billion in OpenAI?
No. OpenAI’s December 11, 2025 announcement described a planned $1 billion equity investment by Disney, alongside warrants to purchase additional equity. The transaction was expressly subject to definitive agreements, required corporate and board approvals, and customary closing conditions. An announced, conditional investment is not proof that the money was transferred.
Disney’s May 6, 2026 Q2 earnings release says it would not proceed with the previously planned investment after OpenAI opted to shut down Sora. Disney’s statement was direct: “As widely reported, OpenAI opted to shut down Sora, and as a result we will not proceed with our previously planned investment in the company.” The statement appears in Disney’s Q2 FY2026 earnings release.
Rank #2
- AUTHENTIC DESIGN: Based on his appearance in Kingdom Hearts II, this exclusive action figure depicts Sora in his Valor form.
- COLLECTIBLE SIZE: Figure stands approximately 6 inches tall - the perfect size for your office desk, home bookshelf and so much more!
- READY FOR ACTION: Figure features 16 points of articulation. Accessories include Sora's Kingdom Key keyblade, and a 3-inch figure of an enemy Soldier.
- GREAT GIFT IDEA: Add this figure to your personal collection or gift it to the Kingdom Hearts fan in your life!
- HAS THIS TOY BECOME A HEARTLESS SPAWN? Uh oh! Not to worry though, we always accept product returns!
What was included in the Disney–OpenAI agreement?
OpenAI announced two related but distinct arrangements on December 11, 2025: a three-year licensing agreement and Disney’s planned equity investment. The license would cover more than 200 characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars for short videos generated from user prompts. OpenAI also said Disney would become a major OpenAI customer. Those announced terms are described in OpenAI’s agreement announcement.
The license and investment should not be collapsed into a single completed deal. The announcement presented a proposed commercial collaboration, while the equity investment remained conditional. Disney later said it would not proceed with that investment; it also said it continued to explore potential commercial opportunities with OpenAI and others. That leaves room for future discussions, but it is not evidence that the announced Sora licensing plan went ahead.
Rank #3
- From Kingdom Hearts 3, Sora, as a stylized POP vinyl from Funko!
- Stylized collectable stands 3 ¾ inches tall, perfect for any Kingdom hearts 3 fan!
- Collect and display all Kingdom hearts 3 figures from Funko!
- Funko pop! is the 2017 toy of the year and people's choice award winner
Was the $1 billion announcement a “rug pull”?
“Rug pull” is a loaded description, not an established account of what happened. The available company statements show that OpenAI announced a conditional investment, later chose to shut down Sora, and Disney then said it would not proceed with the planned investment. They do not establish that Disney had completed a $1 billion transfer, that OpenAI took back such a payment, or that OpenAI deceived Disney.
The accurate description is that Disney abandoned a previously planned investment after Sora’s shutdown. OpenAI’s original announcement also quoted Disney CEO Robert A. Iger describing an effort to extend storytelling through generative AI “while respecting and protecting creators and their works.” That was the stated ambition of the proposed collaboration, not evidence that the investment closed.
Rank #4
- Marking the 15th anniversary of the select action figure line
- Based on the Kingdom hearts II Chapter of the popular game franchise
- Each figure measures between 4"-7" tall
- Up to 16 points of articulation
- Character-appropriate accessories, including Keyblades
What else was happening around Sora’s shutdown?
The Associated Press reported that Sora drew criticism and concern from advocacy groups, academics, and experts over nonconsensual imagery and realistic deepfakes. AP also reported that OpenAI restricted public-figure generations after objections from family estates and an actors’ union. These controversies are part of the product’s public context, but the cited reporting does not establish that they caused OpenAI to discontinue Sora. AP reported OpenAI’s shutdown message: “What you made with Sora mattered, and we know this news is disappointing.”
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →In its coverage, the Associated Press report on Sora’s shutdown also said Disney respected OpenAI’s decision to exit the video-generation business and shift priorities. Disney’s later earnings statement confirms that the shutdown was the stated reason it would not proceed with the planned investment.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Product Size (W x D x H): 3.1 x 2.4 x 8.8 inches (79 x 61 x 223 mm); Weight: 10.4 oz
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