Disney Invests $1 Billion in OpenAI in Three-Year Partnership

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As a huge movie fan, I’m really fascinated by this news: Disney is putting a billion dollars into OpenAI, the company behind all the AI buzz. What’s even cooler is they’re letting OpenAI use Disney characters – think Mickey, Elsa, all of them – to create short videos that we, the users, can make. It’s a big move, and I’m curious to see what kind of fun, creative stuff people will come up with!

OpenAI and Disney have a three-year agreement that will allow Sora, OpenAI’s video generation platform, to create videos using over 200 characters from Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar. Select videos created through this partnership will also be shown on Disney+.

As a huge film fan, I was really surprised to hear about the conflict between Disney and Google. Apparently, Disney sent Google a legal warning because they believe Google is using Disney characters and movies – on a massive scale – to power their AI programs like Gemini, Nano Banana, and Veo, without permission. Basically, Disney feels Google is violating their copyrights.

The letter contained many pictures of content created by Google, including popular characters like Darth Vader, Homer Simpson, and Spider-Man. Google hasn’t yet commented on the matter.

OpenAI is reportedly paying Disney to feature iconic characters like Mickey Mouse, Elsa, and Darth Vader in its Sora AI video tool. The agreement specifically avoids using actors’ appearances or voices to simplify legal considerations. Disney has also established guidelines for how these characters are depicted in AI-generated videos, prohibiting content involving drugs, alcohol, sexual themes, or crossovers with other brands’ characters.

According to a source, Disney is collaborating with OpenAI to manage potential issues with videos created using artificial intelligence. The source also pointed out that, especially in the beginning, AI-generated content could occasionally go against Disney’s guidelines due to the unpredictable nature of AI.

On top of the $1 billion investment, Disney will also have the option to purchase additional OpenAI stock at the company’s current value of $500 billion.

This agreement showcases Disney’s cautious strategy with AI: they’re collaborating with reliable partners while also pursuing legal options against those they believe are improperly using their material.

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2025-12-11 19:45