In one of Hollywood’s most ambitious AI partnerships to date, Walt Disney Co. has agreed to invest $1 billion in OpenAI and license a vast slate of its most iconic characters — including Mickey Mouse, Elsa, Iron Man, and Yoda — to Sora, OpenAI’s short-form generative video platform.

Announced on December 11, the three-year licensing pact will allow Sora to generate short, user-prompted social videos using more than 200 characters from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars. The companies stressed that the deal explicitly excludes talent likenesses and voices, a safeguard meant to protect actors and voice artists amid ongoing industry concerns over AI replication. Advertisement

A two-track partnership

As part of the agreement, Disney becomes not only a content partner but also a major Op

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