Sora update to bring AI videos of your pets, new social features, and soon, an Android version (techcrunch.com)

OpenAI says its runaway hit video app Sora will soon add new creation and social tools: users will be able to turn pets and other objects (a “favorite stuffed toy” or pretty much anything) into shareable “cameos” — AI personas created from a short recorded video reference — and the generation UI will surface trending cameos in real time. Basic video editing (starting with stitch-together clips), expanded social features such as dedicated channels for universities, companies or clubs, reduced over-moderation, and general performance improvements are also rolling out “in the next few days,” according to Sora head Bill Peebles. An Android release is pre-registered on Google Play and “actually coming soon,” though no firm date was given. The update matters because Sora already demonstrates rapid consumer traction (about 2 million downloads and the No. 1 App Store spot in the U.S. and Canada despite being invite-only), and these features accelerate network effects and reuse of user-created AI personas. Technically, cameos reuse a user-supplied video as the reference for generative models that others can invoke, so discoverability, sharing controls and moderation will be critical as the app scales. Stitching and other editing primitives point toward more complex multi-clip generation workflows. The balance between looser moderation and safety, along with Android availability, will shape how broadly and responsibly Sora’s persona-driven video generation spreads.