OpenAI's video-generating application, Sora, registered 627,000 iOS downloads within its first seven days of availability, outpacing ChatGPT's initial weekly performance of 606,000 iOS downloads. This data, compiled by app intelligence provider Appfigures, indicates a robust consumer adoption rate for the invite-only app.
While Sora's initial launch included both the U.S. and Canada, compared to ChatGPT's U.S.-only debut, Appfigures data shows Canada contributed approximately 45,000 installs. Adjusting for this, Sora's U.S.-only download performance would represent approximately 96% of ChatGPT's U.S. first-week figures. The invite-only nature of Sora's launch, in contrast to ChatGPT's more public availability, positions its performance as particularly notable.
Since its market debut on September 30, 2025, Sora quickly ascended the U.S. App Store rankings. The app secured 56,000 installs on its first day, reaching the No. 3 Top Overall app position. By October 3, it had climbed to the No. 1 spot. This initial surge positioned Sora's launch ahead of other significant AI application debuts, including Anthropic's Claude and Microsoft's Copilot, and aligned it with xAI's Grok launch.
Observations across social media platforms support Appfigures' data regarding widespread user engagement. Videos generated using the Sora 2 model, which facilitates the creation of realistic deepfakes, have become prevalent. Specific instances include users generating deepfakes of deceased individuals, a practice that prompted Zelda Williams, daughter of actor Robin Williams, to publicly request a cessation of AI-generated images of her father.
Appfigures reported steady daily adoption for Sora following its launch. iOS daily downloads peaked at 107,800 on October 1, 2025. Subsequent daily install figures ranged from a low of 84,400 on October 6 to 98,500 on October 4, indicating sustained user interest for the restricted-access application.
