Sora’s next big update brings pet cameos, basic editing, faster performance – and yes, the Android app is real

Sora 2
(Image credit: OpenAI)

  • New updates to Sora 2 are coming, with the first set to arrive in just a few days
  • Soon you'll be able to create AI videos of your dog, your cat, or even your favorite stuffed toy
  • An Android app is coming very soon, as well as a new social feed to challenge social media giants like TikTok

OpenAI’s video app Sora is getting a huge upgrade that could change what floods your social feeds next.

Bill Peebles, who leads the Sora team, revealed that the next version adds pet cameos, basic video editing, faster performance, and, finally, an official Android app.

If you haven’t used Sora yet, it’s OpenAI’s short-form video platform that lets you generate realistic clips from text prompts. Think TikTok meets DALL-E, bringing AI Slop, some genuinely interesting videos, and mostly viral chaos to social media sites like Instagram, Facebook, and X.

Here's everything you need to know about what's coming to Sora in the near future.

Your dog is about to go viral

I think the main headline announcement from Peebles' tweet is the news that in the coming days, "you'll be able to cameo your dog, guinea pig, favorite stuffed toy, and pretty much anything else you want."

So if you're used to seeing pet videos on your social media feed, they're about to get a whole lot more AI-powered. In fact, as a dog owner myself, this announcement makes me worry for the future of my Instagram enjoyment as I spend most of my time on social media sending my wife silly videos of French Bulldogs.

Sora is also adding the ability to create cameos of characters that have previously been generated, allowing you to continue the story of AI personas that have popped up throughout your time using the video generation tool.

Combine these new features with "basic video editing capabilities," and you'll soon be able to stitch together clips straight from the Sora app, making it even harder for those of us who consume vertical content to tell what's real and what's made by AI.

Android gets some love

Until now, Sora 2 has been limited to the web and via the OpenAI-developed iOS app. But now, according to Peebles, Android is about to get some love. He said, "Finally, the Android version of Sora is actually coming soon".

So if you're a user of one of the best Android phones and have been craving the ability to generate videos of you and your Golden Retriever playing baseball on the moon, you're in luck: You'll be able to soon.

Peebles also emphasized OpenAI's commitment to creating a more social experience with Sora and said, "We're working on making the social experience much better. We are exploring new ways to use Sora with your friends (versus just a global feed) and broader community. think channels that are specific to your university, company, sports club, etc."

This upcoming feature should allow you to share relevant content with other people who enjoy the same topics as you, essentially creating a TikTok For You page in the Sora app.

A monumental shakeup

For all the fun new features, there’s an obvious downside. Social platforms are already flooded with synthetic media, and Sora’s new tools could make the problem worse.

When every pet owner can generate high-definition fantasy clips starring their dog, the line between real and AI is going to blur even further. Your feed might get cuter, but also a lot less authentic.

That’s not necessarily a reason to panic, however. You see, the same tools that produce fake pets could help indie creators, teachers, or storytellers make short films that would’ve been impossible on a budget. But the speed at which Sora is evolving is striking, and social media as we've known it is about to change forever (again).


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John-Anthony Disotto
Senior Writer AI

John-Anthony Disotto is TechRadar's Senior Writer, AI, bringing you the latest news on, and comprehensive coverage of, tech's biggest buzzword. An expert on all things Apple, he was previously iMore's How To Editor, and has a monthly column in MacFormat. John-Anthony has used the Apple ecosystem for over a decade, and is an award-winning journalist with years of experience in editorial.

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