A union representing creative workers says there is growing concern about Disney’s $1bn deal with OpenAI, which will bring Disney characters to ChatGPT and the video-generation tool Sora. The move is the first major studio licensing its catalogue to OpenAI, covering over 200 characters from Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and classic Disney franchises like Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
Sag-Aftra executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said the agreement specifically avoids using human performers’ likenesses or voices, but the union remains worried. “No one wants to see human creativity given away to AI models,” he told
Disney CEO Bob Iger described the partnership as a careful way to expand storytelling, with fans expected to generate images and videos from early 2026. However, the deal comes amid growing scrutiny over AI content, following incidents of Sora generating offensive deepfakes of public figures.
The announcement highlights a broader trend of studios and AI developers forming licensing deals to access content for training, even as concerns about misuse and deepfakes continue.
