OpenAI is shifting Sora from free to paid video generation after discovering that the 30 free videos per day model isn't sustainable.
Bill Peebles of OpenAI explained the company will eventually have to limit free access over time or risk running out of GPU resources. The move also sets up what OpenAI calls a "Sora economy," where rights holders can actually get paid for their content. Peebles outlined the vision: "We imagine a world where rightsholders have the option to charge extra for cameos of beloved characters and people."
It's a remarkable statement, considering that charging for your own intellectual property is how the rest of the world already works. Sora initially built its buzz by freely using copyrighted material, but now OpenAI wants to bring rights holders into the fold with actual compensation. That seems like something that should be normal and not "a world to be imagined," but maybe that's just me.
The company plans to test monetization with early users first, creating new revenue streams for creators and rights holders.
