Disney opens two antagonistic and complementary fronts.
Amid the fierce struggle for leadership in artificial intelligence, the company has closed an agreement with OpenAI through which it will invest 1 billion dollars and allow the startup to generate videos featuring more than 200 animated characters in Sora and ChatGPT Images.
In return, Disney will receive warrants to purchase additional equity, and it will be able to use OpenAI’s APIs to create new products, tools, and experiences, including for Disney+, while also implementing ChatGPT for its employees.
Simultaneously, the company founded by Walt Disney threatened Google with legal action, accusing the tech giant of using its characters without authorization to train and generate content with artificial intelligence.
Disney will invest 1 billion dollars in OpenAI and, in exchange, will receive warrants to acquire additional equity in the future. Furthermore, it will become OpenAI’s first major partner for licensing content on Sora.
On the other hand, Sora obtains a three-year license to generate short social videos powered by users, which fans will be able to view and share. More than 200 animated characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars may be used, including costumes, props, vehicles, and iconic environments. In addition, ChatGPT Images will be able to turn prompts into images using the same intellectual property. The agreement does not cover images or voices of artists.
Disney will be able to leverage the capabilities of OpenAI to enhance the experience on Disney+, where videos created by fans and inspired by characters such as Mickey Mouse, Ariel, Simba, Deadpool, Iron Man, Yoda, and many more can be viewed.
“Through this collaboration with OpenAI, we will responsibly and reliably broaden the reach of our storytelling through generative AI, while respecting and protecting creators and their works,” stated Robert A. Iger, Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company.
In turn, OpenAI’s co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Sam Altman, stated that “This agreement demonstrates how AI companies and creative leaders can collaborate responsibly to foster innovation that serves society, respect the significance of creativity, and help works reach a broader and newer audience.”
The agreement with OpenAI is not the only active front for Disney concerning artificial intelligence. Just hours after formalizing this historic contract, Disney made a public complaint against Google, accusing it of large-scale copyright infringement. According to the company, Google has used its characters to train its AI models, which includes the generation and distribution of images and videos protected by copyright without authorization.
Among the affected franchises are titles such as Frozen, Moana, Star Wars, and several films from the Marvel universe. Disney has issued a cease and desist letter to Google, demanding it put a stop to the unauthorized exploitation of its intellectual property. The company asserts that Google has taken advantage of its market dominance to distribute infringing content, seriously impacting Disney’s rights as the creator and owner of these characters.
Disney demands that Google implement more stringent controls to prevent the generation of images and videos containing protected material. If these measures are not taken, the technology company could face a lawsuit for infringing Disney’s copyrights. This confrontation underscores the growing tension between large technology corporations and creative studios regarding the use of artificial intelligence and intellectual property, with Disney taking a firm stance in the defense of its content.
Image: Gemini
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