The Walt Disney Company and OpenAI have reached an agreement for Disney to become the first major content licensing partner on Sora, OpenAI’s short-form video platform.
The move, according to The Walt Disney Company, will bring the two “leaders in creativity and innovation together to unlock new possibilities in imaginative storytelling”.
Terms of agreement
As part of the three-year licensing agreement, Sora will be able to generate short, user-prompted social videos that can be viewed and shared by fans, drawing from a set of more than 200 animated, masked, and creature characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars.
This includes costumes, props, vehicles, and iconic environments as well as characters such as Mickey Mouse, Cinderella, and Luke Skywalker.
In addition, ChatGPT Images will be able to turn a few words by the user into fully generated images in seconds, pulling from the same intellectual property.
The agreement does not, however, include any talent likenesses or voices.
Alongside the licensing agreement, Disney will become a major customer of OpenAI, using its APIs to build new products, tools, and experiences, including for Disney+.
It forms part of a $1 billion Disney investment in OpenAI, which will also see Disney rolling out ChatGPT to its staff and growing the company’s AI capabilities.
Disney embracing innovation
“Technological innovation has continually shaped the evolution of entertainment, bringing with it new ways to create and share great stories with the world,” said Disney CEO Bob Iger in a press statement.
“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.”
Iger’s counterpart, Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, echoed those sentiments, highlighting the importance of the partnership for creativity and innovation.
“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,” he explained.
“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.”
Under the license, fans will be able to watch curated selections of Sora-generated videos on Disney+, and OpenAI and Disney will collaborate to utilise OpenAI’s models to power new experiences for Disney+ subscribers.
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