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We’ve seen scalpers target video game consoles, graphics cards, and gaming handhelds. However, some people are now reselling invite codes for OpenAI’s TikTok competitor, Sora.
Since the app’s launch yesterday, over 20 listings for the invites have popped up on eBay, according to 404 Media, which successfully purchased a working code.
AI-generated videos from Sora have been filling up social media, creating hype for what’s effectively OpenAI’s first social media app. Although Sora is free to download on iOS, OpenAI has limited its availability to those with invite codes. The smaller pool of users can help the company mitigate potential abuse while capping the computational costs of extensive AI video generation. But the invite approach is also giving scalpers a chance to profit.
(Credit: eBay)
The resellers are offering invite codes for $20 to $35, although one merchant tried and failed to auction off an invite code for $175. EBay’s Terapeak tool also shows that over 120 invite codes have been resold since yesterday.
(Credit: EBay Terapeak)
404 Media adds that a user can essentially farm the invite codes since, after you successfully register on Sora, the app will give you four new invite codes to share with others. If you don’t want to pay, some Sora users have been offering invite codes for free on Reddit and X/Twitter.
Sora’s availability is expected to open up over time and expand to Android. But in a blog post, OpenAI noted that the AI video generator “will initially be available for free, with generous limits to start so people can freely explore its capabilities,” suggesting the company will try to monetize the service down the line.
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OpenAI’s research scientist for Sora, Bill Peebles, also posted a video about scaling up invites, but it comes with a trade-off. “As a heads-up, when more people come onto the platform, gens/day (video generations per day) will need to decrease to support the increased volume,” he tweeted.
Disclosure: Ziff Davis, PCMag’s parent company, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in April 2025, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.
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Michael Kan
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I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.
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