Disney and OpenAI are collaborating to enable fans to create videos featuring Mickey Mouse and Darth Vader

This move underscores Disney’s decision to use intelligence as a production tool and cornerstone of the company.

12/12/2025 – 11:32 am

The Walt Disney Company has taken a major step in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) by announcing a strategic alliance with OpenAI. This groundbreaking agreement not only legitimizes the use of generative AI in the entertainment industry, but also promises to transform the way fans interact with the studio’s most iconic brands.

The key to the collaboration is the integration of the more than 200 Disney characters, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars in Sora, OpenAI’s advanced text-based video generation platform. This allows users to create personalized short videos featuring iconic characters such as Mickey Mouse, Iron Man, Darth Vader or Elsa from Frozen.

The implications of this agreement go beyond mere content creation: Disney plans to select and upload a portion of these user-generated creations to its streaming platform. Disney+from next year.

Bob IgerCEO of Disney, emphasized that this collaboration is critical to the future of entertainment and underscored the company’s commitment to approach artificial intelligence in a “thoughtful and responsible” manner. Iger said the goal is to “expand the reach of our storytelling through generative AI while respecting and protecting creators and their works.” In the following video, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, explains the scope of the agreement with Disney:

New era of entertainment

Disney’s decision is a paradigm shift. After a period of reluctance in Hollywood about the use of artificial intelligence and concerns from major talent agencies, the entertainment giant spoke out chooses to monetize and control its extensive catalog of intellectual property. This movement seeks to avoid total disruption of their business model by integrating technology rather than fighting it.

In addition, the agreement provides for the following: Investment of 1 billion dollars from Disney in OpenAI, positioning the studio as a “key customer” of the tech company. This preferred status will allow Disney to use OpenAI services to develop new products and experiences across its platform and other businesses, solidify its position at the forefront of technology, and seek to engage with its global audience in a more immersive and personal way.

Beyond character licensing, the agreement positions Disney as OpenAI key client. The company will leverage the technology company’s application programming interfaces (APIs) to develop new internal tools and products.

In addition, Disney will use the tool as part of its digital transformation strategy ChatGPT for the use of its own employees and tries to optimize workflows and processes throughout the company.

This move underscores Disney’s decision to use AI as more than just a tool Production toolbut as a cornerstone for the future of its business model and to maintain its relevance in an ever-evolving digital ecosystem.