The Walt Disney Company and OpenAI have entered into a landmark three-year licensing and commercial agreement that will bring more than 200 Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars characters to Sora, OpenAI’s generative video platform. As part of the expansive partnership, Disney will also invest $1 billion in OpenAI and receive warrants to purchase additional equity, formalizing one of the entertainment giant’s most significant strategic investments in the artificial intelligence sector.
Under the collaboration, Sora will gain the ability to generate short, user-prompted social videos featuring a wide array of animated, masked, and creature characters, props, vehicles, costumes, and environments from Disney’s multibrand universe. ChatGPT Images will also be able to generate branded visual content based on user inputs, drawing from the same library of intellectual property. The licensing agreement does not include any talent likenesses or voices.
Disney will additionally become a major OpenAI customer, integrating the company’s APIs to develop new digital products and fan engagement tools, including capabilities for Disney+. The entertainment company will also deploy ChatGPT internally to support employee workflows.
Curated selections of Sora-generated fan videos will be made available on Disney+, marking one of the first direct integrations of generative AI video into a major streaming platform. OpenAI and Disney will also collaborate on new model-powered experiences for Disney+ subscribers, with Sora and ChatGPT Images expected to begin generating Disney-branded content for fans in early 2026.
The companies emphasized a shared commitment to responsible AI development that protects user safety, creator rights, and protections for individual likeness. OpenAI has agreed to maintain age-appropriate policies, reasonable content controls, and safeguards against illegal or harmful outputs. Both partners affirmed a framework that respects the rights of content owners and advances human-centered AI aligned with creative industries.
The transaction remains subject to definitive agreements, corporate approvals, and customary closing conditions. Once completed, the partnership is expected to expand the ways fans interact with beloved Disney characters, deepen content personalization, and accelerate Disney’s experimentation with generative technologies across its storytelling ecosystem.
KEY QUOTES:
“Technological innovation has continually shaped the evolution of entertainment, bringing with it new ways to create and share great stories with the world. 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. Bringing together Disney’s iconic stories and characters with OpenAI’s groundbreaking technology puts imagination and creativity directly into the hands of Disney fans in ways we’ve never seen before, giving them richer and more personal ways to connect with the Disney characters and stories they love.”
Robert A. Iger, CEO, The Walt Disney Company
“Disney is the global gold standard for storytelling, and we’re excited to partner to allow Sora and ChatGPT Images to expand the way people create and experience great content. 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.”
Sam Altman, Co-Founder and CEO, OpenAI
