OpenAI Sora App Sees Sharp Decline in Downloads and Spending
OpenAI’s video-generation app, Sora, is experiencing a cooling period after a meteoric rise. Following an October launch that saw the platform outpace ChatGPT in reaching its first million downloads, the AI-driven tool is now grappling with a consistent decline in both user interest and financial performance.
Data from market intelligence firm Appfigures reveals that the momentum behind the Sora 2-powered platform has stalled. Following a 32% month-over-month drop in December, installations fell by another 45% in January 2026, totaling 1.2 million for the month. Consumer spending within the app mirrored this decline, dropping 32% month-over-month.
Market Performance and Competitive Pressure
The app currently sits outside the top 100 free apps on the U.S. App Store and ranks 181st on Google Play. While these numbers do not signal immediate failure, they represent a significant departure from the initial excitement surrounding the service. Industry analysts point to several contributing factors:
- Increased Competition: Rivals such as Google’s Gemini—bolstered by its Nano Banana model—and Meta AI’s “Vibes” feature have successfully captured user attention.
- Copyright Constraints: To address backlash from Hollywood studios, OpenAI shifted from an opt-out to an opt-in model for intellectual property usage. This restricted the viral creation of videos featuring popular characters, which had previously driven early adoption.
- User Privacy Concerns: Many users have shown hesitation toward the app’s social features, which allow others to use their likeness in generated content.
Future Outlook
Despite a recent deal with Disney allowing users to generate content featuring its characters, the initiative has yet to translate into a measurable boost in downloads or revenue. To date, the app has accumulated 9.6 million total downloads and $1.4 million in consumer spending, with the U.S. market accounting for $1.1 million of that total. OpenAI has not provided a comment regarding these figures.