Citizens of Thailand can now access the Sora app, giving local creators an early look at OpenAI’s new AI video tool in Asia. Thailand already has an active creative scene, and this launch is meant to support more visual storytelling from the region. The app’s rollout also includes Vietnam and Taiwan.
Sora first arrived in the US and Canada in early September, and many users there have already shared clips. The app has since passed one million downloads in under five days, according to a social media post by Sora head Bill Peebles, who noted that it reached that milestone even faster than ChatGPT did at launch, despite requiring users to be invited to use the app at launch.
People in Thailand can download the app for free on iOS with no invite code. For now, use limits are relatively generous, though those limits may change.
The app is powered by Sora 2, a video generation model that can produce ‘original’ clips, remix existing creations, and suggest content through a personal feed. Users can also appear directly inside scenes through a feature called Cameos, which requires a one-time check to confirm identity and likeness. The app supports Thai language input.
Cameos have quickly become a popular feature among early testers as they offer a playful way to interact and connect with friends. Thai creator Woody Milintachinda said, “Sora allows me to bring ideas to life in a way that immediately resonates with audiences. They can see and feel the story unfold. It has also given me a unique platform to share my experiences with a wide community of creators and storytellers not just in Thailand but the world, inspiring new forms of connection and creativity. With Sora, the creative possibilities truly feel limitless.”
To go with this release, the app now includes Character Cameos, with which users can turn nearly anything into a reusable character, such as a pet, drawing, personal item, or original design created inside Sora. After uploading a video of the character, users can assign permissions that are separate from their personal likeness. That character can stay private, be shared only with followers, or be opened to everyone on the platform. Once named, the character can appear in any future video.
To mark the Halloween season, the app launches with a starter pack that includes classic characters like Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster, Ghost, Witch, and Jack-O-Lantern.
The company says it plans to bring Sora to Thailand with responsibility in mind. The feed is designed to encourage creation rather than passive viewing, aimed at accounts users follow. The aim is not to increase screen time but to spark creative output, the company states.
Users can keep control of their likeness when using Cameos, deciding who can use it, and the account holder can remove access or take down any video that includes their likeness at any time. Videos made with a cameo of the user created by someone else remain visible to the user.
Videos produced in Sora include a visible, animated watermark and an invisible C2PA digital watermark. The hidden version cannot be added to content that was not created in Sora, helping confirm which clips were created on the platform.
For teens, the app applies daily limits on how many generated videos appear in their feed. Cameos also come with stricter rules for this demographic. Safety systems exist, and human moderators can review bullying cases. Parents can use ChatGPT-based controls to adjust feed limits, turn off personalisation, and manage direct message settings.
(Photo by Mariia Shalabaieva)
See also: OpenAI unveils open-weight AI safety models for developers
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