Disney’s three-year licensing partnership with OpenAI includes one exclusivity, Disney CEO Bob Iger told CNBC. Last week, the company entered into a partnership with OpenAI to bring its iconic characters to the AI company’s Sora video generator. Once that special year ends, Disney will be free to enter into similar deals with other AI companies.
This agreement makes OpenAI a high-profile content partner, allowing users to create content on Sora with over 200 characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars. Currently, this is the only legally permitted AI platform.
For Disney, the deal provides a way to try out Generative AI and its intellectual property, allowing it to evaluate what a partnership with OpenAI might look like before moving forward with an additional deal.
Iger told CNBC: “No generation of humanity has ever stopped technological progress, and we’re not going to try.” “We have always felt that if that happens, we should ride it, including disrupting our current business model.”
Apparently, on the same day that Disney announced its deal with OpenAI, the company sent a cease-and-desist letter to Google, claiming that the tech giant was infringing on its copyright. Google did not confirm or deny Disney’s claims, but said it would “engage” with the company.
