OpenAI's Video Generation Model Sora Was Leaked Before It Could Launch? Here's What We Know

On November 26, a listing on Hugging Face surfaced, claiming to provide public access to OpenAI's Sora model.

OpenAI's video generation model, Sora, might have been leaked ahead of its release. On Tuesday, an unidentified group uploaded an AI video model to Hugging Face, claiming it was OpenAI's Sora. The model's details indicated that its backend server was hosted on the AI company's domain, and its name suggested it was a Turbo variant.

The model was available on the platform for three hours before access was revoked.

OpenAI Sora AI Video Model Leaked?

On November 26, a listing on Hugging Face surfaced, claiming to provide public access to OpenAI's Sora model. The anonymous group behind the listing also created a front-end interface, allowing users to generate AI videos.

The AI model was capable of producing 10-second 1080p videos, all bearing a distinct OpenAI watermark, lending credibility to the claim that the model was indeed Sora. Additional supporting evidence included the backend server listed as “https://sora.openai.com/backend/video_gen” and the use of the name "Turbo" for the variant.

The group explained their motivation for releasing an early version of Sora, accusing OpenAI of exploiting artists by using them as “unpaid R&D.” They claimed artists were providing free bug testing, training data, validation tokens, and promoting the company without compensation.

The listing read, “Hundreds of artists provide unpaid labour through bug testing, feedback and experimental work for the program[..]offering minimal compensation which pales in comparison to the substantial PR and marketing value OpenAI receives.”

The group clarified that while they supported the use of AI as a tool for artistic creation, they disagreed with OpenAI's artist program. They stated that their action was intended to encourage OpenAI to adopt a more transparent, artist-friendly approach and to better support the artistic community. Along with their statement, they shared a petition for those who resonated with their message.

Interestingly, the group was among the 300 artists granted unlimited access to Sora to serve as early testers, red teamers, and creative collaborators. For three hours, the front-end interface of the AI model was operational, but the group noted that OpenAI subsequently shut down early access for all artists.

In response, a spokesperson from OpenAI told TechCrunch that Sora is still in the research preview phase as the company works to balance its performance with strong safety protocols. The spokesperson further emphasized that participation as an early tester was voluntary, with no requirement to provide feedback or use the tool. Artists were instructed to use the AI model responsibly and to avoid disclosing any confidential information before the official launch.