- As part of the three-year licensing agreement, Sora will be able to generate short user-guest social videos that can be viewed and shared by fans, drawing on more than 200 characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars.
- Agreement will feature a selection of these short fan-inspired Sora videos, available to stream on Disney+.
- Disney and OpenAI affirm a shared commitment to responsible use of AI that protects the safety of users and the rights of creators.
- Along with the licensing agreement, Disney will become a major customer of OpenAI, using its APIs to create new products, tools and experiences, including for Disney+, and deploying ChatGPT for its employees.
- As part of the deal, Disney will invest $1 billion in OpenAI and receive warrants to purchase additional shares.
The Walt Disney Company and OpenAI have reached an agreement for Disney to become the first major content licensing partner on Sora, OpenAI’s short-form generative AI video platform, bringing together these leaders in creativity and innovation to unlock new possibilities for imaginative storytelling.
As part of this new three-year licensing agreement, Sora will be able to generate short, user-invited social videos that can be viewed and shared by fans, drawing inspiration from a set of more than 200 animated, masked characters and creatures from Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars, including iconic costumes, props, vehicles and environments. Additionally, ChatGPT Images will be able to transform a few user words into fully generated images in seconds, leveraging the same intellectual property. The deal does not include any likeness or voice talent.
Along with the licensing agreement, Disney will become a major customer of OpenAI, using its APIs to create new products, tools and experiences, including for Disney+, and deploying ChatGPT for its employees.
As part of the deal, Disney will invest $1 billion in OpenAI and receive warrants to purchase additional shares.
As part of this agreement, Disney and OpenAI affirm their shared commitment to responsible use of AI that protects the safety of users and the rights of creators. Together, the companies will advance human-centered AI that respects the creative industries and expands storytelling possibilities.
The transaction is subject to negotiation of definitive agreements, required corporate and board approvals and customary closing conditions.
“Technological innovation has continually shaped the evolution of entertainment, bringing with it new ways to create and share great stories with the world,” said Robert A. Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company. “Rapid advances in artificial intelligence mark an important moment for our industry, and through this collaboration with OpenAI, we will thoughtfully and responsibly expand 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 a way we’ve never seen before, empowering them more rich and more personal way to connect with the Disney characters and stories they love.”
“Disney is the global standard for storytelling, and we are excited to partner to enable Sora and ChatGPT Images to expand the way people create and experience quality content,” said Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI. “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 new audiences.” »
Under this license, fans will be able to watch selections of Sora-generated videos on Disney+, and OpenAI and Disney will collaborate to use OpenAI’s models to deliver new experiences for Disney+ subscribers, fostering innovative and creative ways to connect with Disney stories and characters. Sora and ChatGPT Images are expected to begin generating fan-inspired videos featuring Disney’s multi-brand licensed characters in early 2026.
Characters fans will be able to use in their creations include Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Lilo, Stitch, Ariel, Belle, Beast, Cinderella, Baymax, Simba, Mufasa, as well as characters from the worlds of Encanto, Frozen, Inside Out, Moana, Monsters Inc., Toy Story, Up, Zootopia and many more; plus iconic animated or illustrated versions of Marvel and Lucasfilm characters like Black Panther, Captain America, Deadpool, Groot, Iron Man, Loki, Thor, Thanos, Darth Vader, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Leia, the Mandalorian, Stormtroopers, Yoda and more.
As part of this agreement, OpenAI is committed to maintaining its industry leadership by implementing responsible measures to further improve trust and safety, including age-appropriate policies and other reasonable controls across the service. Additionally, OpenAI and Disney affirmed their shared commitment to maintaining robust controls to prevent the generation of illegal or harmful content, respecting the rights of content owners with respect to model results, and respecting the rights of individuals to appropriately control the use of their voice and likeness.
Forward-looking statements
The terms “Company”, “we” and “us” below and “Disney” above are used to collectively refer to The Walt Disney Company and the subsidiaries through which our various businesses are actually conducted.
Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding our expectations, beliefs and business plans; transactions for which closing conditions have not been satisfied, including entering into definitive agreements, required approvals or other closing conditions; profits from transactions, engagements and product offerings; consumer sentiment; and other statements that are not historical in nature. Any information that is not historical in nature is subject to change. These statements are made based on management’s views and assumptions regarding future events at the time the statements are made. Management undertakes no obligation to update these statements. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such differences may result from actions taken by the Company or the discovery of additional information, as well as developments beyond the Company’s control, including: failure to enter into definitive agreements, obtain required approvals or satisfy other closing conditions; regulatory and legal developments; technological developments; and consumer preferences and usage of product offerings. Additional factors are set forth in the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K, subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
