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The Walt Disney Company is investing $1 billion in Open AI in a deal that will also allow characters such as Mickey Mouse and Yoda to be used on the AI company’s Sora video platform.
Disney x Sora partnership
Under the three-year licensing deal, which was announced Thursday, Sora users will be able to make short-form videos using more than 200 characters across the Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars brands.
Characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Cinderella, characters from "Frozen," Luke Skywalker, Deadpool and more will be available to be used in users’ video creations. They will also have access to environments related to those characters.
"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," Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement.
As part of the deal, some user-generated Sora videos will be available to watch on Disney+. OpenAI’s tools will also be used to power new experiences on the streaming platform that give fans "creative ways to connect with Disney’s stories and characters."
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Disney and OpenAI have reached a deal that will allow users on OpenAI's Sora platform create content with Disney characters. (Courtesy: Disney)
Both Disney and OpenAI said they are committed to ensuring that the use of AI protects "the safety of users" and "the rights of creators." The deal does not include the use of any talent likeness or voices, according to the companies.
"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," Iger said.
"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," OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman said in a statement.
Sora users will be able to make content with Disney characters early next year.
Users will also be able to use ChatGPT Images to create "fully generated images" with the same characters by using a few word prompts.
The agreement also means Disney will become a major OpenAI customer. Disney plans to deploy OpenAI’s ChatGPT to its employees. It will also use the AI company’s technology to build new products and tools.
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Big deal for Hollywood
With the agreement, Disney becomes the first major content licensing partner on Sora.
Disney and other major Hollywood studios have been tackling different ways to handle AI software and technology over the past few years.
Earlier this year, Disney teamed up with Universal to sue AI image generator company Midjourney earlier this year.
The Hollywood studios accused the company of using their intellectual property to train its AI models.
In the complaint filed in June, the studios called Midjourney "the quintessential copyright free-rider" and a "bottomless pit of plagiarism."
"Midjourney's conduct misappropriates Disney's and Universal's intellectual property and threatens to upend the bedrock incentives of U.S. copyright law that drive American leadership in movies, television, and other creative arts."
Midjourney launched in 2022. Users can use it to create images from text prompts.
The Source: This article was written using information from news releases from The Walt Disney Company and OpenAI, as well as court documents.