Disney and OpenAI Announce Licensing Deal
The Walt Disney Company and OpenAI have entered into a three-year licensing agreement. This agreement permits the use of Disney characters and images within Sora, OpenAI's short-form video generation platform.
A joint statement from both companies indicates that the deal allows for the creation and sharing of videos featuring over 200 animated characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars properties. The agreement specifically excludes the use of talent likeness or voices.
As part of this arrangement, Disney will invest $1 billion in OpenAI and assumes the role of a significant customer.
Advocacy Group Expresses Concerns
Fairplay, a non-profit advocacy group focused on reducing children's screen time, released a statement expressing concerns regarding the agreement. The group contended that despite OpenAI's stated prohibition against children using Sora, the inclusion of popular characters could attract young audiences to the platform. Fairplay criticized Disney for facilitating what it described as OpenAI's efforts to potentially addict children to its products.
Companies Affirm Commitments
Both Disney and OpenAI affirmed their commitment to safeguarding creator rights and implementing robust controls to prevent the generation of illegal or harmful content. The capabilities resulting from this agreement will become available to Sora users beginning in 2026.