Microsoft gives free access to OpenAI’s Sora video generator via Bing App

Microsoft has just taken a bold step toward making AI video generation more accessible by integrating OpenAI’s Sora model into its Bing mobile app. The new feature, called Bing Video Creator, allows users to create short, AI-generated video clips without needing a paid ChatGPT subscription — a requirement that previously limited access to Sora’s capabilities.

Announced on Monday, the Bing Video Creator is now rolling out globally, with the exception of China and Russia, for Android and iPhone users. Microsoft says desktop and Copilot Search integration is on the way. This marks the first time Sora’s text-to-video technology is made widely available to the public for free, bypassing the $20 per month fee required for ChatGPT Plus users.

According to Microsoft, the goal is to “democratize the power of AI video generation,” bringing creativity and digital storytelling tools to a broader audience. “We believe creativity should be effortless and accessible,” the company stated, emphasizing its vision to empower users to “turn their words into wonder.”

Accessing the Bing Video Creator is straightforward: users can either tap the video creation option in the lower-right menu of the Bing mobile app or simply type a video prompt into the Bing search bar. The interface is designed to be intuitive, and Microsoft is promoting it as part of its wider effort to turn Bing into a more dynamic and creative search experience.

Users can generate up to three videos at a time and will receive notifications when the clips are ready. There are two processing speed options available: “Standard” mode, which is free and available to all users, and a faster “Fast” mode, which generates clips in seconds. Microsoft offers 10 free Fast generations, after which users can either switch back to Standard mode or redeem 100 Microsoft Rewards points for each additional Fast video.

The generated videos are short — five seconds in length — and follow a 9:16 vertical format suitable for mobile viewing and social sharing. Support for the more traditional 16:9 horizontal format is expected in a future update. Videos remain stored in the Bing app for up to 90 days and can be downloaded or shared directly to other platforms.

While the tool showcases Sora’s creative potential, Microsoft has been transparent about the current limitations of its video quality. Early examples include clips of an otter dressed as a chef and a hamster sweeping with a broom — both of which display somewhat awkward animations and cartoonish character design. These clips lack the realism seen in demos from competing models like Google’s Veo 3. Nevertheless, they offer a more authentic glimpse into Sora’s real-world performance compared to the highly-polished showcase videos released by OpenAI last year.

Sora itself, launched in December 2024, is a sophisticated AI model that turns text prompts into video sequences. Though still experimental, it has already captured industry attention for its potential to revolutionize creative workflows in media, advertising, education, and entertainment. Microsoft’s decision to integrate Sora into Bing and remove the paywall adds a new layer of competition in the AI content generation race, particularly as platforms like Google and Meta also invest heavily in video synthesis.

Ultimately, the Bing Video Creator serves as a major milestone in Microsoft’s ongoing AI push. By lowering the barrier to entry, the company is inviting millions of users to experiment with one of the most advanced video-generation models available today. As the technology matures and improvements are made to video realism and length, this integration could play a key role in how users search, learn, and express themselves in the digital age.