Following its unique $200 monthly subscription service called o1, OpenAI has finally released Sora, its much-anticipated AI video generator. More specifically, the company has launched the latest iteration known as Sora Turbo.
Although it’s been months since OpenAI first announced Sora, its new AI video generation model is still in its early stages. The company has acknowledged this in the past, stating, “[Sora] may struggle with accurately simulating the physics of a complex scene and may not understand specific instances of cause and effect.”
These issues are evident. YouTuber Marques Brownlee’s analysis of the tool highlights these challenges. For instance, when generating certain scenes, there are noticeable problems with “object permanence.” In these scenarios, people, animals, and objects don’t behave in a completely realistic manner due to deficiencies in the physics simulation. This is particularly noticeable when watching videos of a rhino and a giraffe walking. Their legs move strangely.
The situation with Sora reminds early experiences with AI image generators. Initially, users were amazed by their capabilities, but they often made significant mistakes, particularly in rendering human hands. Over time, these issues diminished, and now these tools provide much more realistic results across various areas.
A similar trajectory is likely for Sora. Brownlee suggests that the most exciting aspect of Sora is that what we see now is the least impressive version. Improvements will continue, and the current challenges will likely be resolved in the future.
This raises questions about Sora’s overall usefulness today. While it’s true that in some cases it can generate remarkable videos, there are also instances where other AI tools like Runway currently deliver even better results.
Is Sora a revolution in video production and creation? Currently, it doesn’t appear to be. However, similar to AI text and image generators, Sora can serve as a particularly valuable creative assistant. While it may not be able to generate the final product just yet, it helps explore creative paths and ideas that people might not have considered otherwise.
OpenAI’s announcement clearly demonstrates that the company needs to assert itself. Following a massive recent investment round, it must showcase products that will drive increased revenue and profit. Like OpenAI’s o1, Sora is an attempt to convince users that they should be willing to pay for AI services.
The crucial question is whether the company will succeed in this endeavor. With Sora still in its early stages, it seems challenging to persuade most users at this time.
Image | OpenAI
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