Workers in the creative industries are voicing concern after Disney agreed to license characters from its major franchises to OpenAI as part of a $1bn (£740m) deal that will allow users to generate images and videos through ChatGPT and OpenAI’s video tool, Sora.
Union Concerns Over AI Use of Creative Work
Sag-Aftra, which represents around 170,000 media professionals globally, said the agreement has triggered anxiety among performers and creative workers. Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the union’s executive director, said members were worried about how the deal could affect human creativity and jobs in the entertainment sector.
He said Disney and OpenAI had contacted the union to confirm that the agreement excludes the use of the image, likeness or voice of real performers. Despite that assurance, he said the development remained troubling. He told BBC News there was concern about creative work being absorbed into AI systems without sufficient safeguards.
Scope of the Disney–OpenAI Agreement
Under the deal, fans will be able to create and share images and videos featuring more than 200 characters from Disney properties, including Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars. According to OpenAI’s announcement, eligible characters include those from films such as Zootopia, Moana and Encanto, as well as figures like Luke Skywalker and Deadpool. Mickey and Minnie Mouse are also included.
Disney said the agreement does not cover talent likenesses or voices, though details about how characters will sound in generated content have not been clarified. Bob Iger, Disney’s chief executive, said the partnership would extend the company’s storytelling in what he described as a significant moment for the industry.
OpenAI expects users to begin generating Disney-related images and videos through ChatGPT and Sora in early 2026.
Wider Industry Context and Legal Pressure
The announcement comes as OpenAI faces increasing scrutiny over how its technology is deployed, and as concerns grow in Hollywood about the effect of AI tools on creative work. The deal also coincides with reports that Disney lawyers sent Google a cease-and-desist letter accusing the company of large-scale copyright infringement. The BBC has requested a response from Google.
Joel Smith, an intellectual property partner at Simmons & Simmons, said the agreement illustrates how rights holders and AI developers are moving quickly to form licensing partnerships for training data and future applications.
Equity, the UK entertainment trade union, said the deal underlined the need to protect performers’ rights. The union is currently balloting members on whether they are willing to refuse digital scanning on set to secure stronger protections against AI use. Cathy Sweet, Equity’s head of TV and film, said the agreement highlighted why performers were pushing for safeguards around the commercial use of recorded material.
Ongoing Criticism of AI-Generated Media
Sora has drawn attention in the US for producing highly realistic videos, but it has also attracted criticism. OpenAI has previously restricted the tool after it generated offensive depictions of deceased public figures, including Dr Martin Luther King Jr. The company paused the generation of content involving King in October following public backlash.
Other AI-generated videos featuring figures such as President John F. Kennedy, Queen Elizabeth II and Stephen Hawking have circulated online, prompting objections from family members. Zelda Williams, the daughter of comedian Robin Williams, has publicly asked people to stop sending her AI-generated videos of her father.
The Disney agreement follows other recent moves in the entertainment industry involving AI. In November, Warner Music Group announced plans to launch an AI music venture with start-up Suno, a year after filing a lawsuit against the company.
Featured image credits: George Thomas via Flickr
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