Over 200 Disney Characters to Be Available on Sora
CEO Bob Iger: "Expanding Storytelling Through AI"
The Walt Disney Company is joining forces with OpenAI to make a full-scale entry into the generative artificial intelligence (AI) video market. This collaboration is drawing attention as it may serve as a catalyst for accelerating the integration of the U.S. film industry and AI.
The main entrance of The Walt Disney Company headquarters located in Burbank, California, USA. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News
On December 11 (local time), Disney announced that it would invest $1 billion (approximately 1.47 trillion won) in OpenAI for an equity stake and has signed a three-year licensing agreement to provide its iconic characters-such as Mickey Mouse and Cinderella-for use on OpenAI’s short-form AI video platform, Sora.
Through this agreement, Sora users will be able to create short-form videos using more than 200 characters featured in Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars franchises. However, the contract does not include the use of real-life actors’ faces or voices.
Disney is going beyond simple investment and licensing by also becoming a major client of OpenAI. The company plans to actively adopt OpenAI technology for new content development and experience creation, as well as utilize ChatGPT to enhance internal work efficiency.
Disney CEO Bob Iger stated, “The rapid advancement of AI marks a significant turning point for our industry,” adding, “While respecting and protecting creators and their works, we will carefully and responsibly expand the realm of storytelling through generative AI.”
Until now, the U.S. film industry has taken a cautious approach to collaborating with AI companies due to distrust over content data usage and concerns about conflicts with labor unions. However, a shift is being sensed across the industry as OpenAI is now in discussions with not only Disney but also major studios such as Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. Discovery regarding the use of the Sora platform.
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