OpenAI and The Walt Disney Company have reached a mutual agreement for Disney to become the first major content licensing partner on Sora, OpenAI’s short-form generative AI video platform. This is a landmark agreement with Disney, one of the world’s largest creative mass media firms, allowing people to generate AI-generated videos using more than 200 Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars characters.
Drawing from Disney’s intellectual property, Sora and ChatGPT Images can now turn a user prompt into social videos/Images that can be viewed and shared by fans, drawing from a set of more than 200 animated, masked, and creature characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars, including costumes, props, vehicles, and iconic environments.
This move will push the public to generate creative short, user-prompted social videos with their character they love. This is a three-year licensing agreement between two giants, and the best part is that a selection of these fan-inspired Sora short-form videos will be available to stream on Disney+.
Do note that this agreement doesn’t include any talent likenesses or voices of Disney characters, meaning that mimicking those aspects might lead to legal disputes.
Disney’s investment in OpenAI
Alongside this licensing deal, The Walt Disney Company also reached an agreement with OpenAI to make a $1 billion (INR 100 crore approx.) equity investment in the firm and receive warrants to purchase additional equity.
Further, as part of the shared commitments, Disney will use OpenAI APIs and tools across its operations to build new products, tools, and experiences, including for Disney+, and will deploy ChatGPT for its employees.
Both companies also assured that they will protect user safety by preventing the generation of illegal or harmful content and promoting the responsible use of AI by upholding the rights of creators and advancing human-centered AI that respects the creative industries.
Availability
Sora and ChatGPT Images are expected to start generating fan-inspired videos with Disney’s multi-brand licensed characters in early 2026.
Regarding the partnership, Robert A. Iger, CEO, The Walt Disney Company, said,
Technological innovation has continually shaped the evolution of entertainment, bringing with it new ways to create and share great stories with the world.
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.
Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, said,
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. 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.