It looks like Disney wasted no time in following through on CEO Bob Iger’s promise to bring AI-generated content to Disney+. On Thursday, the company announced the launch of a three-year licensing agreement with OpenAI to bring more than 200 of its beloved characters, including those from Star Wars and Pixar, to the Sora app and ChatGPIT. With the agreement, OpenAI users will be able to inspire ChatGPT to generate images covering costumes, props, vehicles and environments that utilize Disney’s intellectual property.
The agreement doesn’t include voices or “talent parallels,” meaning Sora users won’t be able to prompt the app to make a video with Black Widow and get something with Scarlett Johansson in it. Instead, both Sora and ChatGPT will only have access to animated and illustrated versions of Marvel and Star Wars characters like Black Panther, Captain America, Han Solo, Darth Vader, and others. Disney will stream a “curated selection” of Sora-generated fan videos on Disney+. Sora and ChatGPT users will be able to start creating pictures and videos with Disney characters starting in early 2026.
“Disney is the global gold standard for storytelling, and we’re excited to partner with Sora and ChatGPT Images to allow them to expand the way people create and experience great content,” said Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI. “This agreement shows how AI companies and creative leaders can work together responsibly to foster innovation that benefits society, respects the importance of creativity and helps works reach vast new audiences.”
Disney has also agreed to become an OpenAI customer, promising to use the company’s API to build new products, devices, and experiences. Additionally, Disney will invest $1 billion in OpenAI, with an option to purchase additional equity in the future. OpenAI recently completed a restructuring to become a traditional profit-seeking corporation, paving the way for a potential IPO in the next year or so. Nevertheless, the agreement brings together two unlikely partners who have been on opposite sides of the copyright debate.
The reaction from the entertainment industry was mixed. In a statement released to BlueSky, the Writers Guild of America, which represents writers in film, television and other media, made it clear it was unhappy with the deal:
“Disney’s deal with OpenAI appears to sanction the theft of our work and cedes the value of what we create to a tech company that built its business on our backs. We will meet with Disney to examine the terms of this deal, including the extent to which user-generated videos will use the work of WGA members. We will continue to fight to protect our members’ creative and economic interests in the context of AI technology.”
SAG-AFTRA, the screen actors union, which has about 160,000 members worldwide, was less hawkish. It posted a notice on its site saying that both Disney and OpenAI had reached out to the union to provide “assurance that they will meet their contractual and legal obligations to the artists.” The union noted that it will “closely monitor the deal and its implementation to ensure compliance with our contracts and applicable laws protecting image, voice and likeness.”
Update, December 11, 5:45 PM ET: This story was updated after publication to include comments from the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA.
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