The Evolution and Release Timeline of OpenAI’s Sora AI

When OpenAI first pulled back the curtain on Sora in February 2024, it sent a massive shockwave through the tech and creative industries. Capable of generating hyper-realistic, physics-consistent video clips from simple text prompts, Sora felt like a massive leap into the future of media production.

However, the journey from its initial research preview to its public availability—and subsequent lifecycle shifts—has been a whirlwind. If you are tracking the Sora AI release date and its official timeline, here is the complete story of how OpenAI’s flagship video model rolled out to the world.

1. The Initial Research Preview (February 2024)

Sora first burst into the public consciousness on February 15, 2024, when OpenAI published initial research samples. Rather than launching a consumer-facing tool, OpenAI chose a cautious approach, releasing breathtaking 60-second video clips alongside technical papers.