OpenAI’s Sora video platform will soon feature characters from Pixar and Disney’s animated libraries following a $1 billion investment and licensing agreement with Disney. The three-year deal provides access to over 200 animated and creature characters for user-generated AI video content.
Disney announced Thursday that the partnership allows fans to create short, user-prompted social videos featuring beloved characters that can be shared across platforms. The agreement grants Sora character rights while specifically excluding any use of actor likenesses or voices, addressing a key concern in the entertainment industry.
The collaboration extends beyond content licensing into broader business integration. Disney will become a major OpenAI customer, utilizing AI tools for new product development and experiences while deploying ChatGPT for employee use. This multifaceted relationship demonstrates Disney’s comprehensive AI adoption strategy.
CEO Bob Iger characterized the partnership as representing an important moment for the entertainment sector. He emphasized Disney’s commitment to thoughtfully and responsibly extending its storytelling capabilities through generative AI while respecting and protecting creators and their work. This framing appears designed to ease concerns from entertainment professionals.
Major Hollywood studios have generally avoided AI partnerships, wary of data usage and labor relations. OpenAI has been in discussions with several studios about Sora’s creative and commercial potential, but Disney’s agreement represents a significant breakthrough. The updated Sora platform, launched in September as an invitation-only app, enables users to generate videos from text descriptions, view community content, and create realistic AI avatars with user-granted permissions.