OpenAI will now charge $4 for every additional 10 video generations after a user hits the daily rate limit.
OpenAI says that without adding monetisation, running Sora will become unsustainable
Photo Credit: OpenAI
OpenAI is implementing a monetisation layer on its Sora app for iOS, bringing the days of free rein to an end. On Thursday, a company executive confirmed that after a user has exhausted their daily rate limit, they can now purchase extra video generations by paying an amount. The company says monetisation is being added to ensure that the platform can grow financially. Additionally, OpenAI is also planning to lower the daily rate limit for users across all subscription tiers.
Bill Peebles, Head of Sora at OpenAI, said in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), “We are launching the ability to buy extra gens in Sora today.” It will cost users $4 (roughly Rs. 350) for 10 extra video generations. There is no limit on purchases, so users can keep buying the add-on to generate as many videos as they would like.
However, if they do not prefer to spend money on AI slop, rate limits will apply. The free tier, ChatGPT Plus, and Teams subscribers are limited to 30 free generations per day, whereas Pro users can generate up to 100 videos each day. Anything above that will require purchasing the $4 (roughly Rs. 350) add-on.
Explaining the reason behind introducing the monetisation layer, Peebles highlighted that letting users generate Sora videos for free is becoming unsustainable for the company. To accommodate growth, OpenAI is charging the power users of the app, claiming this will also let them avoid using the platform due to rate limit ceilings.
Peebles also warned that in the future, the company will be lowering the current rate limits, allowing users to generate even fewer free AI videos. Apart from this, the company is also planning another monetisation strategy that involves companies that hold copyrights to characters.
Currently, Sora's Cameo feature allows users to reimagine videos of others, including fictional characters, with text prompts. Sora will soon test a new system where, if a user wants to Cameo a video of a copyrighted character or another user, they will have to pay an additional amount. Peebles says this prioritises “people and companies who got onto the platform early,” hinting that a portion of the revenue will be shared with the creators and rightsholders.
It appears the days of free AI-generated videos are coming to an end, four dollars at a time.
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