Meta Tests Standalone ‘Vibes’ App to Compete With OpenAI’s Sora

Meta is spinning out Vibes into a standalone app. Think TikTok… but every clip is cooked up by AI.

After debuting Vibes inside its Meta AI app, the company is now testing a dedicated app that gives AI-generated videos their own spotlight. And in doing so, the tech giant is taking aim squarely at rivals like OpenAI’s Sora in the growing AI video arena.

What is Vibes, exactly?

Originally, Vibes lived inside the Meta AI app as a feed filled exclusively with AI-created clips users could scroll, remix, and share — an endless stream of digital dreams assembled from text prompts and creative tools. Users could also tweak visuals, add music, and layer in their own style before posting to the feed or sharing on Instagram and Facebook.

But now Meta is letting Vibes roam free as a standalone experience.

A source confirmed to TechCrunch, the move responds to strong early traction within Meta AI, with people increasingly using the format to generate and share short videos. The new app aims to offer a more immersive and focused space for creation and community.

Instead of squeezing Vibes between conversation threads and chatbot prompts, Meta’s standalone approach turns it into a hub for AI video — with a full-screen feed and tools designed to feel familiar to anyone who’s ever swiped through TikTok or Reels.

Creators can start from scratch or remix what they find, then share clips with friends or across Meta’s social platforms.

How vibes fits into the AI video race

Popping Vibes out into its own app is a strategic move in a burgeoning contest among tech giants to own the future of AI-generated social media. Meta’s decision echoes the rise of OpenAI’s Sora, a standalone app focused on generative AI video and social interaction, which launched around the same time Vibes first appeared.

While Meta hasn’t shared exact usage figures, it said that Meta AI’s usage has been steadily growing since Vibes launched, signaling strong user interest. A dedicated app could accelerate that growth by removing distractions and making the core creation experience the star of the show.

This also positions Meta to attract users who are curious about AI but want a creation-centric platform, not just another feed buried in a multifunctional app. Meanwhile, competition with Sora and other AI video platforms highlights the broader shift in social media: audiences are ready to explore synthetic creativity as a mainstream format.

In practical terms, that means more tools for users to play with AI visually, more spaces to show off those creations, and more head-to-head comparisons with rivals chasing the same audience.

Whether Meta’s standalone plays lead to a breakout hit or simply broaden the AI video ecosystem, one thing’s clear… the future of short video isn’t just human-made anymore.

Related reading: Learn more about Meta’s surging AI investments and what they signal for the company’s broader strategy right here.