Here’s something wild: a small bakery just created a commercial that looks professionally produced—cinematic shots, perfect lighting, the works. They made it in under an hour on their laptop for about $20.
No camera crew. No expensive equipment. Just a text description and AI.
If you’re a small business owner or marketer who’s ever said “we can’t afford video content,” that excuse just expired.
What is Sora anyway?
Sora is OpenAI’s text-to-video tool that launched publicly in late 2024. You describe what you want to see, and it creates the video for you.
Type something like: “Coffee cup on a wooden table, steam rising, morning sunlight through window” and you get broadcast-quality footage.
Is it perfect? Nope. But it’s good enough for commercials, social media, and product videos. And it costs a fraction of traditional production.
The price difference is absurd
Traditional video production: $20,000 - $200,000 for a 30-second commercial
Sora-style AI video: $15 - $30 for similar quality
That’s not a typo. We’re talking about democratizing something that was previously only available to brands with big budgets.
How businesses are actually using it
Local businesses are creating social media content they could never afford before. That gym down the street? They just made 30 days of workout videos in an afternoon.
E-commerce brands are generating product videos for their entire catalog instead of just their top sellers.
Real estate agents are creating neighborhood tour videos for every listing instead of rationing their video budget.
Marketing agencies are using it for storyboards and B-roll, freeing up budgets for the shots that really need human crews.
What it can’t do (be honest about this)
Let’s keep it real. Sora and similar tools struggle with:
Your actual team members or specific real people
Complex product demonstrations
Maintaining consistent branding across multiple videos
Anything requiring legal compliance in regulated industries
And here’s the big one: it can’t replace strategy. The best video isn’t just pretty shots—it’s a compelling story that connects with your audience.
The real opportunity
This isn’t about replacing your video team. It’s about removing the barrier that stopped you from creating video content in the first place.
Can’t afford a $5,000 commercial? Now you can test video marketing for $20.
Need fresh social content weekly but only have budget for one shoot per quarter? Problem solved.
Want to experiment with different messaging before investing in a big production? Now you can.
One important heads-up
AI-generated video is synthetic media. Depending on where you are and how you use it, you might need to disclose that it’s AI-generated. Check the rules for your industry and location before you publish.
The last thing you want is an FTC violation because you didn’t label your content properly.
The bottom line
Video content is no longer a luxury for businesses with big marketing budgets. It’s now accessible to anyone with an idea and $20.
The businesses winning in the next few years won’t be the ones with the biggest production budgets. They’ll be the ones who adapt fastest and create consistently.
Your competitors are probably already experimenting with this. The question is: are you?
Because the cost barrier just disappeared. And in marketing, that changes everything.
Want to explore AI tools for your business? Start with OpenAI’s Sora at openai.com/sora to see real examples of what’s possible.