05:14 16-12-2025

Disney-OpenAI deal lets Sora create iconic characters

Disney and OpenAI ink a 3-year licensing deal, bringing 200+ Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars characters to Sora and ChatGPT image tools, plus a $1B investment.

Walt Disney and OpenAI have struck a deal that many experts already see as a turning point for entertainment and tech. The agreement opens the door to licensed use of Disney’s iconic characters in generative AI tools—most notably Sora for video and ChatGPT’s image generator.

Until now, Disney held a hard line on copyright protection, actively pushing back against unlicensed use of its characters online and criticizing AI developers for training models on protected content. This move signals a shift in strategy.

What’s in the deal

According to the published information, Disney has signed a licensing agreement with OpenAI for roughly three years. Under the terms, OpenAI gains the right to use more than 200 characters from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars to generate images and short videos.

In practice, users of Sora and ChatGPT will be able to create content featuring familiar heroes from text prompts. The scope is limited to visual likenesses: actor voices and real people’s images are not part of the deal.

Disney is also investing around one billion dollars in OpenAI and becoming one of the company’s major corporate clients. Inside Disney, the plan is to adopt AI tools across workflows and digital products, including the Disney+ streaming service.

How it could work in practice

The new capabilities are expected to roll out after Sora’s full launch. Users will be able to produce short social videos or illustrations with Disney characters in a range of styles and storylines.

There is also discussion about a dedicated AI content section on Disney+, though details remain under wraps.

It’s important to note that character use will follow defined rules. This is not a blanket permission to deploy all Disney intellectual property without limits.

Why Disney changed tack

Analysts say the deal reflects a broader shift. Generative AI is advancing faster than laws and court rulings can keep up, making it harder for major rights holders to contain its spread.

Rather than lean on bans and lawsuits, Disney is opting for a controlled, commercial model. The company retains influence over how its characters appear while gaining access to new technology and potential revenue streams. The move looks less like a retreat and more like a calculated embrace of a trend that isn’t going away.

What it means for the market

The Disney–OpenAI agreement could become a template for other big media players. It shows rights holders are starting to adapt to an AI-driven reality, not just resist it.

That doesn’t settle the intellectual property debate; if anything, it underscores that the market is shifting toward licensing and partnerships over outright bans on generative tools.

In effect, the decision sends a clear signal to the industry: artificial intelligence is becoming part of the media business, and the heavyweights are moving to work with it in a structured way.