OpenAI's Sora just pulled off one of the most impressive AI app launches yet, rocketing to the #3 spot on the U.S. App Store in just two days. The invite-only AI video generator grabbed 164,000 downloads between September 30th and October 1st, putting it ahead of major competitors like Claude and Copilot while matching Grok's momentum. For a restricted-access app, those numbers signal serious mainstream appetite for AI-powered video creation.
OpenAI's Sora app just became the breakout AI success story nobody saw coming. The company's AI video generator landed at #3 on the U.S. App Store after pulling in 164,000 downloads across its first two days - and that's with invite-only access limiting who can even get in.
The numbers from app intelligence firm Appfigures paint a picture of pent-up consumer demand that's been waiting for the right AI video tool. Sora's 56,000 first-day downloads matched xAI's Grok launch exactly, while easily outpacing Anthropic's Claude at 21,000 and Microsoft's Copilot at just 7,000.
Of course, OpenAI's own ChatGPT still holds the crown with 81,000 day-one downloads, and Google's Gemini hit 80,000. But here's the kicker - Sora did this while being restricted to U.S. and Canadian users who had to get invited. Remove those barriers, and we might be looking at ChatGPT-level numbers.
The App Store rankings tell an even more dramatic story. By day two, Sora had climbed to #3 overall, beating out everything except the most popular social and utility apps. ChatGPT hit #1 on its second day, xAI's Grok reached #4, and Google's Gemini landed at #6. Meanwhile, Claude crawled to #78 and Copilot barely made it to #19.
What makes Sora's performance particularly interesting is what it represents for AI's consumer future. This isn't just another chatbot or productivity tool - it's positioning itself as a social media experience where people create and share AI-generated videos. The company has built what amounts to a TikTok competitor that happens to be powered by artificial intelligence.
That social angle might explain why some inside OpenAI aren't thrilled about the direction. According to TechCrunch reporting, some staff want the company focused on "solving harder problems that benefit humanity" rather than building social apps. But the download numbers suggest consumers disagree - they want AI tools that fit into their daily digital lives, not just their work productivity.
