Disney Invests 1.5 Trillion in OpenAI... Creating AI Content with Mickey Mouse and Marvel

Walt Disney is entering into a historic partnership with OpenAI, making a large-scale investment of 1.5 trillion won. The two companies announced on the 11th (local time) a 3-year license agreement that allows the use of Disney's over 200 characters for AI content creation.

This agreement enables the creation of AI content featuring Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars series characters on OpenAI's video generation platform 'Sora' and ChatGPT. The two companies officially confirmed this in a joint statement.

The characters available for fans include Disney's iconic Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, as well as Ariel from The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Simba and Mufasa from The Lion King, characters from Frozen, Inside Out, Monsters, Inc., Toy Story, Zootopia, and more. Animated versions of Marvel movies like Captain America, Black Panther, and Deadpool series are also included.

However, the rights to use the likenesses or voices of actors are not included in this agreement. While videos featuring Woody from Toy Story can be produced, it means that the voice of Tom Hanks, who voices Woody, cannot be used.

Sora and ChatGPT are expected to start video and image generation services using Disney characters from early next year. Disney plans to select outstanding works created on Sora to be showcased on its streaming platform Disney+.

Disney is making a $1 billion (approximately 1.5 trillion won) equity investment in OpenAI and has also secured stock purchase rights for additional equity acquisition. Bloomberg reported that this contract is the largest investment ever made by a major Hollywood studio in an AI model development company.

In recent months, OpenAI has sought collaboration with major Hollywood studios, including Disney, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. Discovery, but most studios have shown a passive attitude due to concerns over intellectual property protection and backlash from Hollywood labor unions.

Bob Iger, Disney's CEO, stated in a CNBC interview that day, "We have been aggressive in protecting intellectual property, but I was deeply impressed by OpenAI's growth and willingness to license content."

CEO Iger explained, "I wanted to participate in what Sam Altman and his team are creating, and I believe this is a good investment for the company." He added, "If change, including the disruption of existing business models, is inevitable, I believe we must ride that wave."

With this license agreement, Disney plans to utilize OpenAI's API for building new services, including Disney+, as a major client of OpenAI, and will also introduce ChatGPT into the work of its employees.