Key Takeaways
- Disney has announced that it will be making a $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI.
- The deal will also see a wide range of Disney’s copyrighted characters, including Mickey Mouse and Cinderella, available on the Sora AI video generator.
- Copyright infringement has become a huge issue for AI models over the last few years, and this deal could set a precedent for future concerns.
The copyright problem for AI may have an expensive solution, with Disney announcing a new $1 billion deal with OpenAI that will bring the media company’s iconic characters to the Sora AI video generator.
AI models have been accused of copyright infringement pretty much from the get go. The inspiration behind many of these generated images and videos often bare a striking resemblence to exisiting IP, which could cause problems for AI companies in the near future.
OpenAI has addressed that issue head on, though, by entering a partnership with one of the biggest media companies in the world.
Disney and OpenAI Partnership
According to the announcement from OpenAI, Disney is making a $1 billion equity investment in the AI company.
On top of that, Disney is licensing over 200 of its copyrighted characters from Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, and of course, Disney to Sora, the AI video generator from OpenAI. The licensing agreement will last three years.
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Disney will also become a major customer of OpenAI as a result of the deal, “using its APIs to build new products, tools, and experiences, including for Disney+, and deploying ChatGPT for its employees,” according to the announcement.
AI and Creative Media
The use of AI in creative media has been hotly debated over the last few years, particulary in regard to the potential for mass unemployment. This partnership could be the first step towards a more AI-driven experience in the movies, although the CEO of Disney says that people will still be at the helm.
“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.” – Bog Iger, CEO of
Now, let’s be honest, that’s just the kind of thing that CEOs are supposed to say when this kind of deal goes through. Whether or not Disney joins the ranks of tech firms laying off employees in record numbers remains to be seen.
Does AI Infringe on Copyright?
Given the infancy of AI in its current state, it’s difficult to say whether or not it infringes on copyright laws just yet, but it does seem like it could be a long term problem for the tech.
For one, virtually all the major AI companies are facing some kind of lawsuit in 2025, with authors, artists, and other creatives taking to the courts to try to get compensation as a result.
Heck, Disney is suing Google for copyright infringement, noting in a cease-and-desist letter that the company has used its creative outputs to train AI models.
“Google has deeply embedded its infringing video and image AI Services into its broad family of products and services actively used by over a billion people. This multiplies the scope of Google’s infringement, and harm to Disney’s intellectual property, not to mention the ill-gotten benefits Google enjoys from its unauthorized exploitation of Disney’s copyrighted works.” – the cease-and-desist letter from Disney
These legal cases will likely establish what the copyright situation will be for AI moving forward, so they’re definitely worth keeping an eye on.
