Walt Disney and OpenAI have agreed a three-year licensing deal that will let users create short videos featuring Disney characters through artificial intelligence, marking the first time a major entertainment studio has embraced generative technology at this scale. The agreement allows OpenAI to license hundreds of Disney’s closely guarded characters, including Mickey Mouse, Marvel superheroes and Star Wars figures like Darth Vader, for artificial intelligence content creation on its Sora video platform and ChatGPT. The deal comes as Hollywood studios have largely met artificial intelligence companies in court, accusing them of training models on copyrighted material without permission.
The partnership arrives while Disney continues its own legal offensive against other artificial intelligence players, having recently sent a cease-and-desist letter to Google over what it alleges is illegal use of Disney intellectual property to train the search company’s artificial intelligence models. Disney and other entertainment giants have active lawsuits against firms such as OpenAI, Perplexity and Anthropic, arguing that they used vast amounts of studio content without authorization. Despite this litigious backdrop, Disney has agreed to a structure that includes a $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI and warrants to purchase additional shares. OpenAI, which is facing scrutiny over whether its business can support rising computing costs despite nearing one billion users worldwide, gains a marquee partner and a path to more controlled, licensed content.
Under the agreement, fans will be able to produce and share artificial intelligence generated videos of no longer than 30 seconds featuring more than 200 characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars, including Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Elsa, Iron Man, Captain America, Darth Vader and Yoda. Launched at the end of September, OpenAI’s Sora is positioned as a TikTok-like social network where only artificial intelligence generated videos are posted, and Sam Altman has promised rights holders more tools to curb unlicensed copies. The deal explicitly excludes talent likenesses and voices amid Hollywood’s deep concern over artificial intelligence, with Disney chief executive Robert Iger stressing there is a license fee and insisting it does not threaten creators. The actors union SAG-AFTRA said it will closely monitor the rollout, while the Writers Guild of America plans to meet Disney and has accused OpenAI of stealing vast libraries of studio content. Beyond licensing, Disney will apply OpenAI’s technology to build new products and experiences for Disney+, and both companies are emphasizing guardrails, with OpenAI pledging age-appropriate policies and controls to prevent harmful or illegal content, even as Disney continues to accuse Google of infringing its copyrights on a massive scale to develop rival artificial intelligence services.
