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OpenAI Launches '12 Days of Shipmas' with Sora and Advanced Reasoning AI Models

• By John K. Waters
• 12/05/2024

OpenAI is ushering in the holiday season with an ambitious campaign dubbed the "12 Days of Shipmas," featuring daily announcements of new AI products and features for 12 consecutive weekdays. Kicking off today, the lineup is expected to include the much-anticipated launch of Sora, a cutting-edge text-to-video AI model, and a premium version of OpenAI’s reasoning AI, "o1," priced at $200 a month.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman teased the event during The New York Times’ DealBook conference, promising livestream demos and launches daily. While the full roster of announcements remains under wraps, hints dropped by OpenAI employees on social media have fueled speculation. Tweets from technical staff allude to "big and small surprises," with Sora lead Bill Peebles confirming the company is "unbelievably back."

Sora’s Long-Awaited Release
Sora, OpenAI's advanced AI video generator, has been in development for over a year and previewed by select artists through an invite-only research program. Capable of creating high-quality videos from text prompts, Sora promises to revolutionize content creation. However, its development has not been without controversy. Artists involved in early testing leaked the model in protest, accusing OpenAI of exploiting their work for unpaid research and public relations.

Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati hinted at Sora's release earlier this year, stating it would be available by the end of 2024. With the 12 Days of Shipmas now underway, many expect Sora to debut within days.

A Competitive Edge in AI Video
Sora’s imminent launch positions OpenAI against Google, which recently introduced its Veo video-generation AI through a private preview on the Vertex AI platform. Initially announced three months after Sora’s unveiling, Veo is designed for businesses and aims to streamline video production pipelines.

While both models showcase impressive capabilities, Sora’s versatility in understanding and simulating real-world motion could set it apart. Its website boasts a mission to "teach AI to understand and simulate the physical world in motion," aiming to solve problems requiring real-world interaction.

Advanced Reasoning and Festive Features
In addition to Sora, OpenAI is expected to unveil enhancements to its reasoning AI models, including a full release of the o1-preview. This advanced reasoning model is rumored to feature capabilities that could outpace competitors like Anthropic and Google DeepMind. Priced at $200 per month, the premium version of o1 is targeted at professionals seeking robust analytical tools.

OpenAI is also embracing the festive spirit with potential seasonal updates to ChatGPT. Code unearthed by users suggests a new Santa-inspired voice mode, accessible via a snowflake icon, could be part of the announcements.

Holiday Momentum for AI Innovation
OpenAI’s strategy of daily livestreamed launches underscores its commitment to maintaining momentum in the competitive AI landscape. With just weeks left in 2024, the company aims to end the year on a high note, delivering innovations that could redefine how people interact with AI.

As the countdown to December 20 continues, all eyes are on OpenAI to see if its 12 Days of Shipmas will deliver on the hype—or even outshine the competition. For now, the AI community eagerly awaits what the next announcement will bring.