Disney+ Doubles Down on Controversial Choice Despite Backlash

The Walt Disney Company announced a new equity investment in OpenAI this week, revealing the company will invest a whopping $1 billion into the company and now allow users to create AI videos with its copyrighted characters.

What Disney characters will people be able to use in AI Disney+ experiences?

In a surprise turn of events, Disney revealed that it will entering into a licensing agreement with the company for three years. As a result of the deal, users will be able to use OpenAI’s Sora video app to create custom videos using several of Disney’s owned properties. These include characters across Marvel, Star Wars, as well as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Lilo, Stitch, Ariel, Belle, Beast, Cinderella, Simba, and more.

Disney also noted that fans will be able to use iconic animated or illustrated versions of Marvel and Lucasfilm characters like Black Panther, Captain America, Deadpool, Groot, Iron Man, Loki, Thor, Thanos, Darth Vader, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Leia, the Mandalorian, Stormtroopers, Yoda and more.

On top of the agreement, Disney revealed that “a selection” of fan-inspired Sora content will be made available on Disney+ to stream. Disney also revealed it will become a “major customer” of OpenAI and use its APIs to “build new products, tools, and experiences,” both for Disney+ and for its own employees to use.

AI continues to be controversial. When the Sora app launched earlier this year, it did so to massive backlash. Thanks to the nature of the app, fans were using the app to create videos with a variety of character, many of which people assumed would be inherent copyright infringement. The Motion Picture Association even said in October that OpenAI needed to take action to prevent this from happening, and many believed companies like Disney would take issue with it.

(Source: The Walt Disney Company)

Source: Comingsoon.net