Disney and OpenAI have struck a landmark deal. Disney said it will invest $1 billion in OpenAI and open access to more than 200 of its iconic characters for Sora, OpenAI’s video generation model, giving creators a legal way to use characters such as Marvel’s Iron Man, Luke Skywalker from Star Wars, and classic Pixar figures.
Mickey Mouse and the copyright wall
Known for aggressively defending its intellectual property, Disney is taking a different approach this time. Instead of relying only on legal threats, the company is plugging its copyrighted library into the AI ecosystem. Under the agreement, Disney will be Sora’s first major content licensing partner, with the goal of creating a controlled, safe AI creative environment.
Disney CEO Bob Iger called the move
