Disney to invest $1 billion in OpenAI under new licensing agreement
Walt Disney Co. has made a significant investment of $1 billion in OpenAI as part of a new commercial partnership with the developer of ChatGPT and Sora. This three-year licensing agreement will enable users of Sora, an artificial intelligence video tool developed by OpenAI, to create AI videos using over 200 characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars. This groundbreaking collaboration was announced by Disney, making them the first major company to strike a licensing deal with OpenAI for Sora, which leverages generative artificial intelligence to produce short videos.
Disney’s CEO, Robert Iger, expressed excitement about the collaboration, stating, “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.” As part of the agreement, Disney will also utilize ChatGPT for its employees and incorporate OpenAI technology in the development of new products. Additionally, some user-generated Sora videos will be featured on Disney’s streaming service, Disney+.
It is important to note that the agreement does not include any talent likenesses or voices of the characters. AI video generators like Sora have garnered attention for their ability to swiftly create realistic clips based on simple text prompts. However, concerns have arisen regarding misinformation, deepfakes, and copyright issues. Following the release of Sora 2, instances of copyrighted characters and public figures like Martin Luther King Jr. appearing in videos surfaced on the platform.
Disney has not provided further comments on these issues at this time. For more information, OpenAI directed interested parties to the press release issued by Disney on Thursday. This collaboration between Disney and OpenAI marks a significant milestone in the integration of artificial intelligence technology in entertainment and content creation.
This article was edited by Alain Sherter and contributions were made by The Associated Press. For more news and updates, you can explore additional content from CBS News on their website.
