A wave of fake apps imitating OpenAI’s new video-generation tool “Sora” has appeared across Apple’s App Store, with several managing to bypass Apple’s app review system before being taken down. The sudden surge followed the recent release of OpenAI’s invite-only mobile app, prompting scammers to exploit the brand’s rising popularity.
According to data shared with TechCrunch by analytics firm Appfigures, more than a dozen apps using the “Sora” or “Sora 2” name were published shortly after the official app’s debut. Many had existed under different titles prior to the launch but were quickly rebranded to capitalize on search demand. One analyst described the trend as “the App Store scam of the week,” highlighting how developers raced to benefit from user confusion.
The fraudulent listings accumulated roughly 300,000 installations, with over 80,000 of those occurring after OpenAI’s app became public. Some of the most visible impostors included “Sora 2 – AI Video Generator,” which reportedly gained over 50,000 installs, and others like “PetReels — Sora for Pets” and “Viral AI Photo Maker: Vi-sora,” which saw only minor traction. Collectively, these clones generated more than $160,000 in revenue before many were removed.
Apple has not commented on how the unauthorized apps cleared its review process or whether it plans to remove the remaining titles. Several of the fakes, however, were still accessible as of this week, according to Appfigures.
OpenAI’s official Sora app, launched last week, has surpassed one million downloads, significantly outpacing the impostors. The incident underscores growing scrutiny over Apple’s app moderation practices and the persistent challenge of keeping fraudulent AI-branded apps off digital storefronts.
Source: TechCrunch