Sora provenance checks for existing and archived video files
OpenAI says the Sora Web/App service ended on April 26, 2026, and the Sora API is scheduled to stop on September 24, 2026. This page is therefore an archive and provenance workflow for files you already have, not a guide to accessing the discontinued product. Preserve the original MP4 or MOV: AICheck365 checks C2PA/JUMBF evidence, container fields, SEI markers, file-name clues, and sampled frame watermarks locally in the browser.
Service status: use this checker for existing Sora files
Sora Web/App is no longer available. If you already have a Sora export, keep the untouched file and inspect its container evidence before editing or re-encoding it. A readable Sora or C2PA signal can support provenance; a missing signal cannot prove that the video was not made with Sora.
Repository coverage and evidence profile
| Sora regression fixtures | The repository test suite analyzes Sora and Sora Pro MP4 fixtures and asserts both C2PA and Sora-specific detection. These fixtures validate the parser path; they are not presented as a public benchmark of all Sora exports. |
|---|---|
| Public browser video sample | The loadable Google Veo MP4 carries valid Google generative-AI C2PA and an MP4 encoding-tool value of Google. It validates browser-side BMFF/C2PA handling, not Sora-specific provenance. |
| Tested parser | aicheck 0.2.0 (Rust/WASM, c2pa-rs 0.82 path for C2PA, MP4 container scanner for boxes and ilst fields). |
Signals to Check
| C2PA / JUMBF text | Strong when present: digitalSourceType, claim_generator, contentauth, or OpenAI-related provenance strings in the original container. |
|---|---|
| MP4/MOV metadata | Medium: ftyp brand, box tree, udta/meta/ilst, encoder/tool/software fields, AIGC-style labels, and C2PA text snippets. |
| SEI marker | Weak to medium: generator strings embedded in the video bitstream can survive remuxing, but not full re-encoding. |
| Frame watermark | Weak: sampled frame checks are a fallback when metadata layers are empty. |
How to preserve and check an existing Sora export
- Keep the original — Retain the direct MP4/MOV download and analyze a copy. Do not run it through an editor, messaging app, or social platform first.
- Inspect the container — Open the MP4/MOV metadata inspector and review the box tree, tool/software fields, C2PA text, and any platform strings.
- Interpret C2PA carefully — A valid manifest that declares algorithmically generated media is stronger than a plain file name or an isolated text match.
- Use frame analysis as fallback — If container evidence is empty, run the full detector so it can sample frames for visible or invisible watermark clues.
- Archive the result with context — Record the file name, acquisition date, source URL or transfer history, and the detector output; none of those items alone is a legal authenticity verdict.
Limits
- No readable signal does not prove the video is human-made.
- Social platforms, screen recording, editors, and transcoders can remove or overwrite container metadata.
- Service shutdown dates describe product availability, not whether a particular archived file is authentic.
- The browser detector surfaces provenance clues; it is not a legal authenticity verdict.
Start with container evidence for an untouched export, then use the full detector only when you need fallback frame analysis.
FAQ
Is Sora still available?
OpenAI states that Sora Web/App ended on April 26, 2026. The Sora API is scheduled to stop on September 24, 2026. This page is intended for existing and archived files.
Can AICheck365 identify every archived Sora video?
No. It can only show evidence that remains in the file. Transcoding, screen recording, editing, or metadata stripping may remove the strongest provenance signals.
Should I upload a screenshot of a Sora frame?
Prefer the original video. A screenshot is a new image file and usually has none of the MP4/C2PA container evidence.
Sources and verification records
- OpenAI: What to know about the Sora discontinuation — Official service dates and API transition details.
- aicheck Sora video regression tests — Repository assertions for Sora/Sora Pro C2PA detection.
- AICheck365 public sample records — Browser-loadable sample provenance, test dates, signals, and known limits.
- AICheck365 methodology — How evidence strength and missing signals are interpreted.