The Walt Disney Company and OpenAI have agreed to a contract under which Disney will be the first significant content licensing partner for Sora, OpenAI’s compact generative AI video technology. In tandem, these leaders in imagination and innovation will open up new avenues for AI-esque storytelling.
Implementing a collection of over 200 animated, masked, and monster characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars, along with their costumes, props, vehicles, and recognisable settings, Sora will be able to create brief, user-generated social movies that fans can watch and share. The current three-year licensing deal includes all of this.
Additionally, using the same trademarks, ChatGPT graphics can transform a user’s few words into fully created graphics in seconds. Celebrity representations or voices are not included in the agreement.
Disney and OpenAI have reiterated their commitment to ethical AI use that safeguards user security and intellectual rights within the terms of the agreement. The businesses will develop around human-centred AI that honours artistic endeavours and broadens the possibilities for narrative.
As stated by Robert A. Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, “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 also joined the foray; he stated, “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.”
Disney is attempting to block Google, a major rival, while also opening the door for OpenAI to use its characters under copyright. Disney accused Google of “infringing Disney’s copyrights on a massive scale” in a letter demanding that it cease operations.
“Disney has been raising its concerns with Google for months, but Google has done nothing in response,” the attorney for Disney stated. “Google’s mass infringement of Disney’s copyrighted works must stop.” Disney wants a “swift response” from Google.
Iger intimated that Disney was negotiating a transaction with an AI company during the company’s November 13 earnings call, but he did not mention any specific companies.
“We’ve been in some interesting conversations with some of the AI companies,” Iger stated. “I would characterise some of them as quite productive conversations.”
Iger stated that Disney was in those discussions “seeking to not only protect the value of our IP and of our creative engines, but also to seek opportunities for us to use their technology to create more engagement with consumers.”
In Hollywood, where writers and producers are already uneasy about the potential of generative AI, the deal caused a new wave of anxiety.
