Disney’s $1 billion investment in OpenAI brings Mickey Mouse to Sora AI’s doorstep — will it redefine Hollywood’s future?

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Disney is investing $1 billion in OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, as part of a three-year deal. This partnership will let OpenAI’s Sora AI create short videos for social media using characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars, starting in early 2026.

OpenAI released Sora 2 and a new social media app similar to TikTok in September, and they’re already changing how we experience the internet. The app creates incredibly realistic AI videos up to 10 seconds long, making it difficult to distinguish between what’s real and what’s generated by AI.

Now that OpenAI and Disney have partnered, it will be fascinating to observe how this affects movie and TV production, and whether it leads to job losses or new opportunities for creative professionals in Hollywood.

Just so you know, the deal doesn’t cover the use of actors’ appearances or voices. Plus, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has said they’ll have strong safety measures to carefully control how Disney characters are used within Sora.

Artificial intelligence is evolving quickly, and this partnership with OpenAI allows us to explore new ways to tell stories using this technology. We’re committed to doing so responsibly, and will always prioritize respecting the rights of creators.

Disney CEO, Bob Iger

Disney’s CEO told CNBC they are interested in joining forces with Sam and his team, viewing it as a worthwhile investment for the company.

Even while allowing OpenAI to use Disney’s copyrighted material, Iger stresses that it’s crucial to protect the rights and work of creators.

The OpenAI deal “does not in any way represent a threat to creators at all,” Iger added.

Disney is investing in OpenAI and will have the option to buy more shares in the company. Disney will also be a significant user of OpenAI’s technology. Plus, Disney+ will start streaming videos created by OpenAI users, which could help Disney compete with popular short-video platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.

The news arrives as OpenAI faces increasing lawsuits over copyright issues. A New York judge recently ordered OpenAI to hand over 20 million chat logs from ChatGPT users as part of its legal dispute with The New York Times. OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, maintains that using copyrighted material to train AI models is permissible under the law and should be considered ‘fair use’.

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2025-12-12 15:09