The launch of OpenAI’s invite-only Sora video app last week triggered a wave of fake “Sora” apps on Apple’s App Store, as scammers tried to cash in on the hype. According to data from Appfigures, more than a dozen impostor apps appeared shortly after Sora’s release, many calling themselves “Sora 2” to mimic OpenAI’s new video model. Some of these fake apps even managed to pass Apple’s App Review process and went live publicly, despite using OpenAI’s trademarked name.
Collectively, these apps have been downloaded around 300,000 times, with over 80,000 installs coming after Sora’s official debut. The largest fake, “Sora 2 – AI Video Generator,” saw more than 50,000 downloads in just days.
While Apple has removed many of the impostors, a few still remain on the App Store. Together, these fake apps have reportedly earned more than $160,000, highlighting how scammers continue to exploit major AI trends for profit.
Apple did not comment on how these copycat apps were approved or whether the remaining ones will be removed.
