Disney to invest $1 billion in OpenAI, permit use of characters on AI video generator

(NEW YORK) — The Walt Disney Company on Thursday announced plans to invest $1 billion in artificial intelligence company OpenAI, in a deal that will grant the company access to copyrighted characters from “Star Wars,” Marvel and other properties for users of AI short-form video generator Sora.

“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,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement on Thursday.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

Sora creates videos, lasting up to one minute long, based on user prompts, just as OpenAI’s ChatGPT responds to input with written responses and Dall-E offers up images.

As part of the agreement between Disney and OpenAI, videos created by Sora will feature more than 200 animated Disney characters, including costumes, props and other accessories, Disney said in Thursday’s statement.

Disney also vowed to become a “major customer” of OpenAI, unveiling plans to incorporate AI tools into company operations and make ChatGPT available for use by employees.

In striking the deal, Disney and OpenAI affirmed a “shared commitment to the responsible use of AI that protects user safety and the rights of creators,” Disney said in the statement.

“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,” added Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, in the Disney statement.

In Thursday’s statement, Disney included images of sample Sora videos, including a man holding a lightsaber and a surfer riding a wave alongside Stitch, a character from Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch.”

Sora and ChatGPT are expected to start generating content with licensed Disney characters early next year, the Disney statement said.

When OpenAI launched Sora in September, the company said it would place watermarks on every video, to signal to viewers that the content had been originated by AI. The company also said it would filter hateful videos and protect likenesses uploaded by users, among other safeguards.