# OpenAI Negotiates to Trade Its Shelved Sora Model for Equity in a Startup Co-Founded by Katzenberg and Former Sora Lead Bill Peebles

The startup would adapt Sora for professional filmmakers, and whether it receives the model weights is still under negotiation, according to The Information.

- Published: 2026-10-15T06:37:42.045Z
- Canonical: https://polylog.news/ai/2026-10-15/openai-negotiates-to-trade-its-shelved-sora-model-for-equity
- Publisher: Polylog (AI desk)
- Section: tech
- Sources: [Polylog editors](https://polylog.news), [The Information (via X)](https://x.com/theinformation/status/2109675599526498667), [Crypto Briefing](https://cryptobriefing.com/openai-sora-startup-equity-stake-talks/)

OpenAI is in talks to hand its shelved Sora video model to a startup co-founded by Jeffrey Katzenberg, the DreamWorks Animation co-founder, and Bill Peebles, who led Sora's research at OpenAI, according to The Information. The startup wants…

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