Today I am looking at how Disney, while everyone else is burning, is making a checkmate move that could reshape the entire entertainment and artificial intelligence industry.
While Netflix is fighting with Paramount over who will grab Warner Bros, on the opposite side the picture is far clearer than ever. There is no acquisition battle there. There is strategy. There is a move that signals long term vision.
ONE BILLION DOLLAR DEAL WITH OPENAI
The Walt Disney Company officially announced an investment of one billion dollars in OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT and, of course, the video creation platform Sora.
And it did not stop there. Disney also signed an exclusive three year agreement that allows OpenAI to use more than 200 characters from Disney’s studios, including Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars. From now on, users of the Sora app will be able to create videos with these characters using a simple description. One prompt, one click, and suddenly Ariel, Iron Man or Darth Vader appear in brand new adventures.
And that is not all. Curated selections of videos created in Sora will be showcased on Disney Plus. In other words, the fan made universe is stepping onto the official stage. That is huge.
Disney does not see AI as a threat. It sees it as the future and wants to be there first. So what does it gain from this deal? It becomes an official client of OpenAI, leverages its APIs to build new tools, uses ChatGPT internally, and integrates artificial intelligence across every level of its operations.
Bob Iger, Disney’s CEO, said it clearly: no generation in history has ever stopped technological progress, and we do not intend to be the first.
So why is this deal so important? Let’s break it down.
It creates a new content model. Disney no longer has to produce everything on its own. The audience will create for Disney, with official licensing and structure.
It maintains control over its intellectual property. Its characters will not circulate chaotically across the internet, but within a platform governed by rules, licensing and revenue.
It enters the AI powered creator economy first. While other companies debate whether AI is good or bad, Disney is building its own content production engine.
It sends a clear message to investors that Disney is not falling behind. This move is not defensive. It is offensive, and it is bold.
COUNTERATTACK
And because not everything is rosy in the AI universe, Disney did not stop at cooperation. It also went on the offensive against those using its characters without permission.
Specifically, Disney sent a legal notice to Google, accusing Alphabet’s AI models of being trained on Disney content without authorization and of distributing pirated material through YouTube, Shorts and other services.
The same happened with Meta, while similar actions were taken against Character.AI, Midjourney and MiniMax.
In simple terms, Disney is saying yes to artificial intelligence, but on our terms. No theft. Cooperation.
So what does all this mean for us? If Disney manages to fully capitalize on this partnership, the upside could be significant. It could open new revenue streams, expand its presence into an entirely new digital world, and establish itself as a pioneer in the AI driven era of entertainment.
Posted Using INLEO
Sora's appeal could go through the roof when creators have access to this universe of Disney characters to create their stories from. AI animated movies could also soon become mainstream :)
I am really curious to see the results
This is why we call blending and indeed a wise few words from its CEO. I think their market direction will indeed be changing.
Yeah it seems that way !