OpenAI’s last remaining route into Sora disappeared on Sept. 24, just one day after Google announced that anyone with a Google Account could create AI-generated HD video in Google Vids for fr
OpenAI’s last remaining route into Sora disappeared on Sept. 24, just one day after Google announced that anyone with a Google Account could create AI-generated HD video in Google Vids for free.
The dates are worth being precise about: this was not technically the same day. Google announced the expansion on Sept. 23, while OpenAI’s Videos API and Sora 2 models reached their scheduled shutdown on Sept. 24. But the roughly 24-hour handoff makes the competitive contrast difficult to miss.
OpenAI’s official deprecation schedule lists Sept. 24 as the removal date for the Videos API, sora-2, sora-2-pro and their remaining snapshots. Crucially, OpenAI lists no replacement model for them.
Google Is Competing With an Account, Not Just a ModelGoogle’s move is more significant than simply making another AI product cheaper.
In its Sept. 23 announcement, Google said anyone with a Google Account can now use Google Vids to create 1080p video with Gemini Omni for free, including control over scene duration and transitions.
That places AI video inside an ecosystem already used for Gmail, Drive, Docs, Slides and YouTube rather than asking consumers to adopt a separate generation product.
Google had already started moving in this direction. In April, it opened a limited number of free Veo 3.1 generations to Google Account holders, and in June it expanded free access to AI avatars.
The Sept. 23 change pushes the strategy further: distribution itself becomes the product advantage.
Sora’s Exit Was Months in the MakingOpenAI had already shut down the consumer Sora web and app experience on April 26. Its remaining API survived for another five months before disappearing this week. OpenAI’s support documentation confirms both dates and says data associated with Sora will eventually be permanently deleted after applicable export windows.
The retreat fits a broader shift in OpenAI’s priorities. We previously noted that the company was cutting smaller projects such as Sora while concentrating resources on enterprise products and Codex.
It is also happening while AI economics become increasingly aggressive. AI model costs have been falling rapidly, making free access a viable customer-acquisition weapon for companies with enough infrastructure and distribution.
