In late September, the AI-generated social media app Sora was released. Evolving from its original version built into ChatGPT, the app has grown into a large platform for AI-generated text-to-video or photo-to-video creation.
The app has only grown in popularity as doomscrolling teens become the creators behind viral AI videos. Many utilize the app’s features to generate humorous clips of themselves or others.
“I’ve made a lot of humiliating videos to embarrass my siblings or friends,” junior Drew Weenig said.
Some fear that the app could be harmful to mental and emotional health, with the possibility of exploiting individuals. However, the app’s built-in protection remains a barrier preventing these films from going too far. Sora’s policies prevent content that may be used for harassment or self-harm, and user controls allow parental account management and automatically limit potentially mature content for younger demographics. This has allowed users to stay focused on the creative aspect, using the app as an avenue of opportunity rather than harm.
“Sora has a harsh parameter,” Weenig said. “[But] I think it just makes people more creative, and I’ve gotten to know different people better by seeing their videos and their different humor.”
While some suggest that these animations are what make the app special, others view the AI features as a cause for decline in technological skill. Junior Reece Benson highlights the app’s impact on modern media creators, whose work can be easily replaced with the platform’s AI tools.
“I think it’s very damaging to creators because there’s…no human thought, and that’s what makes art special,” Benson said. “I think that AI has definitely taken a toll on just the whole meme culture online because it’s so much easier to [generate] a video of someone doing something.”
Although some feel that the app is damaging to the creative aspects of social media, many also recognize its rising prevalence. As it has already infiltrated other social media apps like TikTok and Instagram, users are learning to accept what the platforms are evolving into.
“I keep using the app because it’s not going away,” Benson said. “There’s no way that we will escape AI, so you kind of have to embrace it.”
Embracing the benefits and drawbacks of modern AI, many simply utilize Sora’s AI tools for fun. While concerns about its rising prevalence on social media are still at bay, technology continues to shape human lives in new ways.
“I want to be on the side of using AI for good things and not bad things,” Benson said.
