The Walt Disney Company has signed a three-year licensing agreement with OpenAI. This is a collaboration centered around Sora, OpenAI's short-form generative AI video platform, used to generate user-prompted social videos featuring over 200 characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars.
Under the terms of the agreement, some of these Sora-generated videos will be made available to stream on Disney+, Disney's subscription video-on-demand service. This effort is an important step toward Disney becoming a major OpenAI customer and leveraging its APIs to develop new products, tools, and experiences across its platforms, including Disney+. Additionally, Disney plans to introduce ChatGPT to its workforce and further integrate AI into its operations.
As part of the deal, Disney will make a US$1 billion equity investment in OpenAI and receive warrants for additional shares. The agreement underscores the importance of both companies protecting user safety and creator rights, and underscores their shared commitment to the responsible use of AI.
The transaction is subject to the negotiation of a definitive agreement, corporate and board approvals, and customary closing conditions. Implementation of Sora and ChatGPT images for generating fan-inspired videos using Disney characters is expected to begin in early 2026. Available characters include Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Lilo, Stitch, Ariel, Belle, Beast, and other iconic figures from Disney, Marvel, and Lucasfilm.
Robert A. Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, highlighted the potential of this collaboration in a statement, saying, “Technological innovations have continually shaped the evolution of entertainment, giving us new ways to create and share great stories with the world. “The rapid advances in artificial intelligence are a critical moment for our industry, and through this collaboration with OpenAI, we will thoughtfully and responsibly expand the reach of storytelling through generative AI, while respecting and protecting creators and their work.”
“By bringing together Disney's iconic stories and characters with OpenAI's breakthrough technology, we are putting imagination and creativity directly into the hands of Disney fans in ways never seen before, giving them a richer, more personal way to connect with the Disney characters and stories they love.”
OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, saying, “Disney is the global gold standard in storytelling, and with Sora and ChatGPT “We're excited to partner with Images to expand the way people create and experience great content. This agreement demonstrates how AI companies and creative leaders can responsibly work together to drive innovation that benefits society, honors the importance of creativity, and enables work to reach vast new audiences.”
OpenAI sees this partnership as an opportunity to demonstrate how AI can be responsibly integrated into the creative process.
OpenAI stated that it is committed to implementing responsible trust and safety measures, such as age-appropriate policies and controls, to ensure that technology is used responsibly. This is consistent with Disney's status as the world's leading entertainment and media company, which reported annual revenue of $94.4 billion in fiscal year 2025.
