Sora Launches on Android as OpenAI Targets Asia-Pacific Markets for AI Expansion

OpenAI announced Tuesday that Sora, its AI video generator and social platform, is now available for Android users across seven countries: the U.S., Canada, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. While the Android expansion addresses platform parity, the geographic selection reveals perhaps something more calculated. OpenAI is making an aggressive play for Asia-Pacific markets that could reshape the global AI landscape.

The company initially launched Sora as an iOS app in late September, where it surged to number one on the App Store and accumulated over 1 million downloads in less than five days, faster than ChatGPT itself.

The Android version retains all signature features including “Cameos,” which allows users to generate AI videos of themselves, and a TikTok-style feed for discovering and remixing content.

But the geographic rollout tells a deeper story. Of the seven launch markets, five are in Asia-Pacific, a deliberate targeting of regions with explosive content creation communities and 72% global Android market share.

The Asia-Pacific Gambit

OpenAI’s selection of Thailand, Vietnam, and Taiwan alongside Japan and Korea as priority markets signals a strategy targeting regions with lighter regulatory scrutiny compared to major European markets. According to OpenAI, Thailand was chosen specifically for its

“vibrant creative community and growing influence in digital storytelling.”

The company has rolled out Thai language support and localized content, including AI-generated videos of CEO Sam Altman speaking Taiwanese-accented Mandarin at local landmarks. Props to him for adding personal touches that underscore cultural commitment.

The timing coincides with OpenAI’s broader Asia-Pacific infrastructure push. Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon has been touring Japan, South Korea, Australia, India, and Singapore to secure data center partnerships and government collaborations through the company’s “OpenAI for Countries” initiative.

The region already accounts for 28.45% of the global chatbot market, and OpenAI’s ChatGPT Go expansion into 16 Asian markets underscores recognition that Asia’s digital middle class could determine who wins the consumer AI wars.

This contrasts with competitors. Meta’s Vibes launched globally without OpenAI’s localization depth while Google’s Veo 3 focuses on YouTube Shorts integration. Though neither has prioritized Southeast Asian markets with the same intensity.

Strength Amid Uncertainty

OpenAI’s expansion faces challenges. The company confronts pressure from Japanese copyright holders demanding advance approval for AI-generated content, particularly concerning anime and manga. Studio Ghibli-style AI content sparked backlash from creators viewing AI animation with “wariness and even contempt.”

In North America, users uploaded disrespectful deepfakes of Martin Luther King Jr., prompting OpenAI to pause the generation of content depicting Dr. King and strengthen guardrails. The company also shifted to “opt-in” for copyrighted characters and faces a legal dispute with celebrity video platform Cameo over trademark infringement.

Despite these challenges, OpenAI continues pushing forward. The company is rolling out “character cameos” extending beyond humans to pets and objects, basic video editing tools, and customizable social feeds. Bill Peebles, OpenAI’s head of Sora, emphasized these features aim to foster smaller creative communities rather than addictive algorithmic feeds.

The Android launch could potentially double or triple Sora’s user base within weeks, with Android commanding 72% of global smartphones. Adoption metrics matter, but the true measure of success lies in OpenAI’s ability to expand globally while managing diverse regulatory, cultural, and ethical realities.

The company’s bet on Asia-Pacific suggests it believes these faster-moving, less regulated markets offer the proving ground needed to refine technology before tackling more restrictive Western markets. Whether that strategy pays off may determine who controls the future of AI-generated content.