Disney is taking a major step to define its future in an era dominated by artificial intelligence.

The company has become the first major content licensing partner for OpenAI’s short-form generative video platform, Sora, marking the first time Disney has licensed its intellectual property to an AI service. Under a new three-year agreement, Sora will gain the ability to generate short, user-prompted social videos that fans can create, view, and share using a library of more than 200 characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars. The platform will also be able to incorporate costumes, props, vehicles, and iconic environments from across Disney’s properties. Separately, ChatGPT Images will be able to transform user text prompts into fully rendered images within seconds using the same creative assets.

As part of the deal, Disney will make a $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI and obtain warrants to purchase additional shares, pending negotiation of final agreements, corporate approvals, and standard closing conditions. The company emphasized that the partnership will not include the use of any talent likenesses or voices, and it does not permit OpenAI to train its models on Disney’s intellectual property. Sora user accounts will also remain fully separate from all Disney accounts, including Disney+.

Fans using Sora will be able to create content featuring characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Lilo and Stitch, Ariel, Belle, Beast, Cinderella, Baymax, Simba, and Mufasa, as well as characters from films including Encanto, Frozen, Inside Out, Moana, Monsters, Inc., Toy Story, Up, and Zootopia. The agreement also covers animated and illustrated versions of Marvel and Lucasfilm characters such as Black Panther, Captain America, Deadpool, Groot, Iron Man, Loki, Thor, Thanos, Darth Vader, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Leia, the Mandalorian, Stormtroopers, and Yoda.

Beyond licensing, Disney will become a major user of OpenAI’s APIs, integrating them into new products, tools, and experiences—including features for Disney+. The company plans to adopt ChatGPT internally as well. Disney+ subscribers will eventually gain access to curated collections of Sora-generated videos, and both companies intend to collaborate on new AI-powered experiences that deepen engagement with Disney’s stories and characters. Sora and ChatGPT Images are expected to begin producing fan-inspired videos featuring Disney’s licensed characters in early 2026.

CEO Bob Iger has signaled growing enthusiasm for AI’s potential, noting recently that the technology could enable far more interactive and personalized experiences on Disney+, including opportunities for users to both create and consume short-form, user-generated content.

At the same time, Disney is aggressively defending its intellectual property as AI technology advances. The company recently issued a cease-and-desist letter to Google claiming that Google’s AI platforms have facilitated copyright infringement of Disney content on a massive scale. Similar notices have been sent to Meta and Character.AI, and Disney—along with NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery—has filed lawsuits against AI companies Midjourney and Minimax over alleged copyright violations.

The newest release of OpenAI’s Sora, launched in September, has already raised concerns in Hollywood due to its opt-out model, which requires rights holders to proactively request exclusion of their copyrighted works. OpenAI has since committed to offering stronger controls for IP owners in Sora 2. Industry pushback has been broad; for instance, Japan’s CODA trade group, whose members include Studio Ghibli, has demanded that its content not be used to train Sora 2.

In announcing their agreement, Disney and OpenAI emphasized a shared commitment to responsible AI use, the protection of creators’ rights, and the development of human-centered tools that expand what is possible in storytelling. Both companies characterize the partnership as a major step in harnessing technological innovation to create new ways for audiences to experience stories, enabling fans to interact with Disney characters and worlds at a level of creativity and personalization not previously possible.

OpenAI leadership likewise sees the deal as an example of how AI developers and creative industries can work together to foster innovation, safeguard artistic integrity, and reach new global audiences.

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