Disney is trying to take control of its destiny in an AI-flooded world.
The Walt Disney Co. and OpenAI reached an agreement for Disney to become the first major content licensing partner on Sora, OpenAI’s short-form generative AI video platform, bringing the companies together to “unlock new possibilities in imaginative storytelling.”
It’s the first instance of Disney licensing its intellectual property to an AI platform. As part of the three-year licensing agreement, Sora will be able to generate short, user-prompted social videos that can be viewed and shared by fans from a set of more than 200 characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars, including costumes, props, vehicles and “iconic environments.” In addition, ChatGPT Images will be able to turn “a few words” typed in by a user into fully generated images “in seconds,” drawing from the same intellectual property.
As part of the deal, Disney will make a $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI, and receive warrants to purchase additional equity. The companies said that investment is subject to the negotiation of definitive agreements, required corporate and board approvals, and customary closing conditions.
Disney said the agreement does not include any talent likenesses or voices. Furthermore, the pact does not allow OpenAI to use Disney intellectual property in the of its AI models, nor does it link Sora user accounts with any Disney accounts (including Disney+).
Among the characters fans will be able to use in their AI-generated creations are Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Lilo, Stitch, Ariel, Belle, Beast, Cinderella, Baymax, Simba and Mufasa, as well as characters from movies and franchises including “Encanto,” “Frozen,” “Inside Out,” “Moana,” “Monsters Inc.,” “Toy Story,” “Up” and “Zootopia.” Also included under the pact are animated and illustrated versions of Marvel and Lucasfilm characters like Black Panther, Captain America, Deadpool, Groot, Iron Man, Loki, Thor, Thanos, Darth Vader, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Leia, the Mandalorian, Stormtroopers and Yoda.
Alongside the licensing agreement, Disney will become a “major customer” of OpenAI, using the AI company’s application programming interfaces (APIs) to build new products, tools and experiences, including for Disney+. Disney also will deploy ChatGPT for use by its employees.
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On Disney+, users will be able to watch curated selections of Sora-generated videos. Also, OpenAI and Disney will collaborate to use OpenAI’s models to “power new experiences for Disney + subscribers, furthering innovative and creative ways to connect with Disney’s stories and characters.” Sora and ChatGPT Images are expected to start generating fan-inspired videos with Disney’s licensed characters in early 2026.
Disney CEO Bob Iger, in what now appears to be a preview of his huge deal with OpenAI, spoke enthusiastically on the company’s earnings call last month about the potential for AI to boost engagement on Disney+. “AI is going to give us the ability to do is to provide users at Disney+ with a much more engaged experience, including the ability for them to create user generated content and to consume user generated content, mostly short form from others.”
On a separate front, amid the dramatic rise of AI, Disney has unleashed its lawyers to go after tech companies it believes are stealing its IP. On Wednesday, Disney sent a cease-and-desist letter to Google, alleging Google’s AI platforms have resulted in copyright infringement of Disney IP on a “massive scale.” Disney has sent similar legal notices to Meta and Character.AI, and Disney — together with NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery — have filed lawsuits AI companies Midjourney and Minimax alleging copyright infringement.
The latest iteration of OpenAI’s Sora, which launched in September, raised alarms in Hollywood given the Sora 2 opt-out model requiring IP owners to proactively flag that they wanted their copyrighted works excluded from the system. (OpenAI said it is providing improved controls for IP holders in Sora 2.) Last month, Japanese content trade group CODA, whose members include animation house Studio Ghibli, issued a letter to OpenAI demanding the AI company stop using their content to train Sora 2.
Disney and OpenAI, in announcing their agreement, said they are “affirming a shared commitment to the responsible use of AI that protects user safety and the rights of creators.”
“Together, the companies will advance human-centered AI that respects the creative industries and expands what is possible for storytelling,” Disney and OpenAI said.
“Technological innovation has continually shaped the evolution of entertainment, bringing with it new ways to create and share great stories with the world,” Iger said in a statement. “The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence marks an important moment for our industry, and through this collaboration with OpenAI we will thoughtfully and responsibly extend the reach of our storytelling through generative AI, while respecting and protecting creators and their works. Bringing together Disney’s iconic stories and characters with OpenAI’s groundbreaking technology puts imagination and creativity directly into the hands of Disney fans in ways we’ve never seen before, giving them richer and more personal ways to connect with the Disney characters and stories they love.”
“Disney is the global gold standard for storytelling, and we’re excited to partner to allow Sora and ChatGPT Images to expand the way people create and experience great content,” said Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI. “This agreement shows how AI companies and creative leaders can work together responsibly to promote innovation that benefits society, respect the importance of creativity, and help works reach vast new audiences.”
From Variety US