On December 9, 2024, OpenAI finally released Sora to the public.

It had been 10 months since the February preview that stunned the world. The wait was excruciating.

Artists, creators, and marketers had been begging for access. Finally, it arrived—but only for paying subscribers.

What You Got

Access tiers: ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) or Pro ($200/month) Video length: Up to 1 minute Resolution: 720p or 1080p options Generation quotas: Limited monthly credits Features: Text-to-video, image-to-video, video editing

Not everyone could use it, and you couldn't generate unlimited videos.

The Capabilities

Sora delivered on many promises:

• Realistic motion: Physics looked convincing
• Coherent scenes: Multi-second consistency
• Creative control: Remix and extend videos
• Professional quality: Usable in real productions

The technology matched the February preview hype.

The Limitations

Strict quotas: Plus users got 50 videos/month (720p, 5 seconds) or fewer longer ones Pro limitations: Even $200/month had caps Generation time: Several minutes per video Content filters: Strict safety restrictions Unpredictable results: Not always what you asked for

The access restrictions disappointed many.

The Competition Context

By December 2024, Sora wasn't alone:

• Runway Gen-3: Already available, competitive quality
• Pika Labs: Accessible and affordable
• Stable Video Diffusion: Open-source alternative
• Luma AI: Dream Machine with generous free tier

Sora's 10-month delay let competitors close the gap.

The Artist Protest

Days before launch, artists given early access protested:

• Called out OpenAI for unpaid testing labor
• Criticized lack of compensation
• Highlighted concerns about replacing human artists
• Public letter demanding better treatment

The controversy overshadowed the launch.

The Real-World Use

Creators immediately started producing:

• Music videos with consistent characters
• Product demonstrations
• Short film concepts
• Social media content

Despite limitations, Sora enabled projects impossible months earlier.

Where Are They Now?

Sora remains ChatGPT Plus/Pro exclusive through early 2025. While impressive, the limited quotas and high costs keep most creators using alternatives like Runway and Pika.

The technology delivered, but the access model didn't. OpenAI bet on premium pricing over market penetration.

December 9, 2024 was when the most anticipated AI video tool finally launched—demonstrating both how far AI video had come and how quickly hype can fade when competitors move faster.