People ask ChatGPT to "make a video of me and my friend" and get a script back instead of a video. Here is why, as of October 2026, and what to use for the video itself.
What happened to Sora
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| March 24, 2026 | OpenAI announced it was shutting down Sora, including the planned video generation inside ChatGPT |
| April 26, 2026 | The Sora app and web experience closed |
| September 24, 2026 | The Sora 2 API was removed |
Sources: OpenAI's developer notice as reported by 9to5Google and Business Standard, March 2026.
What ChatGPT can still do for a video
- Write the idea, a script, captions and hashtags.
- Plan shots and write prompts for a video generator.
- Make still images, which some video tools can animate.
- Connect to some third-party video apps from inside ChatGPT; the video is made by that app, not by ChatGPT.
Where to make the video instead
| You want | Use |
|---|---|
| A short video from a text prompt or one photo | A general AI video generator, or Gemini on a paid Google AI plan |
| A video for a song you already have | A beat-synced music video generator |
| You and a friend (or a pet or a character) rapping a duet from two photos | HotelLobby.me |
How to make a video of you and a friend from photos
1
Upload two photos
One of you and one of your friend, pet or favorite character. They don't need to be taken together.
2
Pick the format
9:16 for TikTok and Reels or 16:9 for YouTube; 768P or 1080P; 6, 10 or 15 seconds.
3
Generate
In about two minutes you have an MP4 of both of you rapping a duet in the orange Hotel Lobby booth.
Tip: ask ChatGPT for a caption and hashtags for your duet, then post the video with it.