The Walt Disney Company has entered into a three-year licencing agreement with OpenAI in addition to investing $1 billion in the AI player’s short form video platform. Walt Disney will also receive warrants to purchase additional equity.
As part of the landmark agreement, OpenAI’s text-to-video Sora AI model will enable users to generate and share short, user-prompted social videos featuring more than 200 characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars.
The videos will include costumes, props, vehicles, and iconic environments, but exclude talent likenesses and voices, in a move to perhaps stave off protests from actors’ unions.
ChatGPT Images will allow users to create content from Disney’s intellectual property using simple prompts while selected fan-inspired Sora short-form videos will be available for streaming on Disney+.
Sora and ChatGPT Images are expected to launch the fan-inspired videos with Walt Disney’s licensed characters in early 2026.
Walt Disney will use OpenAI’s APIs to build new products and experiences, including for Disney+, and will deploy ChatGPT for its employees.
Walt Disney CEO Robert Iger stated the agreement provides the company with new methods for sharing its content with the world through generative AI but noted it will respect and protect content creators and their works.
Bloomberg reported OpenAI conducted talks with other large film studios such as Comcast’s Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. Discovery about pairing Sora with their content but noted they are hesitant to partner with an AI company.
The deal is subject to final agreements, board approvals and standard closing conditions.
Source: Mobile World Live
Image Credit: OpenAI
