The Walt Disney Company announced on Thursday that it has signed a three-year partnership with OpenAI. This collaboration will bring Disney’s iconic characters to OpenAI’s Sora AI video generator. Disney is also making a one billion dollar equity investment in OpenAI.
Sora, which launched in September, allows users to create short videos using simple text prompts. Under this new agreement, users will gain access to more than two hundred animated, masked, and creature characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars. This library will also include costumes, props, and vehicles.
These characters include iconic faces like Mickey Mouse, Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Baymax, and Simba. Users can also draw from characters in Encanto, Frozen, Inside Out, Moana, Monsters, Inc., Toy Story, Up, and Zootopia. The deal extends to animated or illustrated versions of Marvel and Lucasfilm characters such as Black Panther, Captain America, Deadpool, Groot, Iron Man, Darth Vader, Han Solo, and Stormtroopers.
Users will also be able to incorporate these characters while using ChatGPT Images, the feature within ChatGPT that creates visuals from text prompts. Disney has clarified that the agreement does not include any talent likenesses or character voices.
Disney CEO Bob Iger stated that the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence marks an important moment for the industry. He said the collaboration with OpenAI will thoughtfully and responsibly extend the reach of Disney’s storytelling through generative AI, while respecting and protecting creators and their works.
Alongside the partnership, Disney will become a major customer of OpenAI. The company plans to use OpenAI’s APIs to build new products, tools, and experiences, including enhancements for the Disney+ streaming service.
Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, expressed excitement about the partnership. He noted that Disney is the global gold standard for storytelling and that the agreement will expand how people create and experience content. Altman believes it shows how AI companies and creative leaders can work together responsibly to promote innovation, respect creativity, and help works reach new audiences.
It is worth noting that Disney has previously taken legal action to protect its intellectual property in the AI space. The company sued the generative AI platform Midjourney for ignoring requests to stop violating its rights. Disney also sent a cease-and-desist letter to Character.AI, leading that platform to remove Disney characters from its offerings.
Disney’s new agreement with OpenAI indicates the company is not fully closing the door on AI platforms, but is instead pursuing a strategic partnership under specific terms.