Disney Invests $1 Billion in OpenAI and Lets Over 200 Characters Appear in Sora and ChatGPT Creations

OpenAI announced today a three-year licensing agreement with The Walt Disney Company, which will allow the AI startup to make over 200 Disney characters available for image and video creation in ChatGPT and Sora. As part of the agreement, Disney will also make a $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI and deploy ChatGPT for its employees.

This AI licensing deal means that AI-generated images and videos featuring Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars characters are now officially allowed. And Disney will even feature some of these creations on its Disney+ platform.

“Under the license, fans will be able to watch curated selections of Sora-generated videos on Disney+, and OpenAI and Disney will collaborate to utilize OpenAI’s models to power new experiences for Disney + subscribers, furthering innovative and creative ways to connect with Disney’s stories and characters. Sora and ChatGPT Images are expected to start generating fan-inspired videos with Disney’s multi-brand licensed characters in early 2026,” OpenAI said today.

“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,” said Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI today. While Disney apparently believes that making its characters appear in AI-generated creations can be beneficial, it seems that the company isn’t willing to strike AI licensing deals with everyone.

Today, Variety also reported that Disney sent a cease-and-desist letter to Google, accusing the company of copyright infringement on a “massive scale.” The company previously sent a similar cease-and-desist letter to Meta, which recently launched a “Vibes” feed of AI-generated videos in its Meta AI app that tries to replicate what Open did with its viral Sora app.