OpenAI’s Video Model Sora Could Get a Second Act

The company is in discussions with a startup that is developing artificial intelligence (AI) video for filmmakers, and that wants to access Sora and use it to sell software and other services, The Information reported Monday (Oct. 12), citing a source familiar with the matter.

The startup was co-founded by Hollywood mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg, former Sora research lead Bill Peebles, and ex-Dropbox CFO Sujay Jaswa, the report said. The Information added that the name of this startup is unclear. Katzenberg and Jaswa’s LinkedIn profiles list them as the co-founders of the tech investment firm WndrCo.

Also unclear is whether this startup will be given access to Sora’s weights, or the settings that shape how the model responds to queries, The Information added. If the deal proceeds, the startup would still get deep enough access to substantially customize it, the source added.

The Information noted that while AI developers typically guard their model weights closely, sharing weights wouldn’t be surprising, as Peebles knows how the model works. Working with him makes sense, the report added, considering OpenAI’s initial investment in Sora.