Sayonara, Sora

PRESENTED BY WISPR FLOW

Happy Wednesday, Future Party. Here’s something that’ll blow your mind — service-oriented businesses leased more commercial real estate than retailers, according to data from CoStar. That means there are more spas, gyms, and wellness centers than stores that actually sell physical goods. That’s the e-commerce revolution in action.

Now the next question is: how many cardboard boxes get picked up from residential curbs each year? That has to be an astonishing number.

OpenAI has surprisingly announced that it’s shutting down its AI video-generation app, Sora. The move has already prompted Disney to rescind its investment in the company.

The Big Picture: Sora’s arrival created an existential crisis in Hollywood, with seemingly anyone able to produce almost professional-looking videos (many of them based on copyrighted material — another existential crisis). While the entertainment industry braced for disruption, Sora’s shutdown may offer some welcome relief… and leave users confused.

Behind The Decision: In 2024, the first version of Sora was released. In 2025, the updated Sora was let loose. In 2026, Sora was killed off.

Final Generation: While the Sora app may be ending, OpenAI isn’t entirely exiting the AI video business (a version of the feature is still available in ChatGPT), but the shutdown stands as the most public example of OpenAI’s shifting priorities. In a company town hall, OpenAI’s CEO of applications, Fidji Simo, said the company would step away from “side quests” to focus more — and dedicate more compute — to “nailing productivity in general and particularly productivity on the business front.”

In other words, OpenAI recognizes it’s losing valuable enterprise market share to Anthropic and is looking to reverse course to remain the leading startup in the space. Fielding copyright lawsuits with an app that was already cratering in engagement didn’t seem like the best use of resources.

The Future: Disney clearly has a roadmap for using AI to supercharge user-generated content on its streamer… so a deal with another company is likely to be announced at some point this year.

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Darius Acuff Jr., a star freshman on the University of Arkansas’ Razorbacks basketball team, has struck a signature shoe deal with Reebok.

Why It Hits: While several college athletes (and one high school athlete) have secured endorsement deals with major US footwear brands, Acuff is the first NCAA men’s athlete to land a signature shoe deal — something typically reserved for the top professional players.

Behind The Deal: Reebok is looking to make a statement with the Acuff signing.

Last Shot: Acuff may be having one of the best freshman seasons in collegiate history. At just 19 years old, he has already been named the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Player of the Year and is the first player to lead the SEC in points and assists per game since Pete Maravich during the 1969–70 season. Analysts say there’s a strong likelihood he’ll be drafted to the NBA this year.

When that happens, he could play his first game in the Acuff 1s.

Next Season: If players can score signature shoes in college, expect more of them to consider staying in the NCAA instead of moving up to the NBA… allowing them to be the biggest fish in a smaller pond.

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65.9% of you voted More than 3 years ago in yesterday’s poll: When was the last time you visited a theme park?

“And it will probably be more than three years until I do it again. There is just so much more out there!!”

“I am 67 years old, and the last time I visited a theme park was in 2019 with my future husband’s son, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. It was to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA. I will NEVER visit another theme park again for the rest of my life!”

“My husband and I went to Disney World alone in January — it was miserable. We are old.”

“I grew up with Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm just down the road. Visits to both were frequent and more about a day of fun and fantasy than a major life experience. Admission was reasonable, unused ride tickets were good forever, and even families that weren’t in the general vicinity could afford to go more than once. When that changed, I stopped going. They sucked the fun out of it for profit.”

“I’m a Disneyland annual passholder. They’re more fun as an adult — especially when you can afford to skip all the lines.”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join Poll Of The Day, so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers’, check out cool insights, and have some fun. It’s data with personality.

🍿 The trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day is the first to surpass a billion views… and it did so in just four days.

📺 Netflix’s livestream of BTS’s comeback show hit a high note with 18.4 million global viewers.

🎥 Indie film distributor Row K is losing three of its top executives as it lacks the cash flow to release upcoming movies.

🤖 Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth will also lead the company’s “AI For Work” initiative to supercharge employees’ daily use of the tech.

🚙 Zoox, Amazon’s robotaxi arm, is rolling out in Austin and Miami as the company ramps up a major manufacturing push.

✈️ San José Mineta International Airport in San José, California, introduced an AI humanoid-robot employee, “José,” amid staffing shortages.

₿ The New York Stock Exchange is partnering with Securitize to turn stocks into digital tokens that can be traded on a blockchain.

🏈 Kalshi announced it will bar athletes and politicians from trading on contracts tied to them.

⛸️ US Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu is joining Nike’s athlete roster, and the brand will release a capsule collection featuring a commemorative T-shirt and hoodie.