Disney has announced a major update to its artificial intelligence strategy. The Walt Disney Company has revealed its plan for a $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI and a new agreement that will bring its iconic characters to the Sora video generation app . Users will soon be able to create short videos featuring hundreds of Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars characters.

Disney said the partnership is part of a three-year licensing agreement that will give Sora users access to more than two hundred copyrighted characters starting next year. The tech giant OpenAI revealed its advanced video generation app, Sora , back in September. It is capable of producing high-quality and ultra-realistic videos. And with the new integration of Disney characters, it’s just getting better.

The CEO of Disney, Bob Iger, said the partnership is a result of its careful approach to AI adoption. The company will always support creative workers and expand into new forms of storytelling. It will also receive warrants to purchase more OpenAI equity and plans to become a major customer of the new tech. Moreover, Disney has already started deploying ChatGPT internally. It also plans to work with OpenAI on new tools and experiences for employees and audiences.

Disney plans a one billion dollar equity investment in OpenAI

The CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, said the partnership with Disney will offer more granular control over character generation. This move will address one of the early concerns of the entertainment industry. Select Sora videos will also appear on Disney+. Further, the users will also be able to draw from Disney’s intellectual property library through ChatGPT Images.

Both companies have emphasized that the agreement reinforces their commitment to safe AI practices and preserves creators’ rights. On the other hand, Disney has intensified efforts to protect its content from unauthorized AI use. It had recently sent a cease and desist letter to Character.AI , accusing it of large-scale copyright infringement.