Disney’s announcement of a three-year deal with OpenAI sparked a wave of opinions from former animators and others in the community. Most recently, executives from SAG-AFTRA have spoken out on the deal.
Disney and Open AI
The licensing agreement means Disney-owned characters will be accessible in OpenAI’s Sora, a video creator. Some videos will also stream on Disney+. As part of the deal, Disney will make a $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI and receive warrants to purchase additional equity.
According to Deadline, when asked if “the idea of an established Hollywood player making a deal with an AI insurgent is a) disconcerting, b) encouraging or c) something that requires further study,” SAG-AFTRA national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland replied that it was all of the above.
We have not yet seen the full agreement between the companies … We were contacted by both OpenAI and Disney prior to the public announcement, and we were told about the terms of the agreement and given certain assurances by top execs of those companies about what the agreement includes. On the encouraging side, it’s clear that they have been listening to what we’ve been saying to them.
Continuing, Crabtree-Ireland states that his concerns surround why Disney would even want to participate in the deal:
As far as SAG-AFTRA has been told, the deal explicitly excludes any licensing of any performer images or voices. One concern I have, and I expect Sean shares, is precisely why Disney would want to do it. Making a deal like that before the IP litigation, copyright litigation is resolved, could be smart. But it’s essential that we continue to create separation between AI, as an algorithmic tool, and humanity.
Sora is a generative AI video platform allowing users to make short-form social videos. It will now be able to draw on over 200 animated, masked, and creature characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars, including costumes, props, vehicles, and environments. ChatGPT Images will also draw on the same IPs. The agreement does not include any talent likenesses or voices.
A selection of the fan-inspired short form videos from Sora will be available to stream on Disney+, which CEO Bob Iger previously alluded to.
Disney and OpenAI “affirm a shared commitment to responsible use of AI that protects the safety of users and the rights of creators,” said a press release. The companies “will advance human-centered AI that respects the creative industries and expands what is possible for storytelling.”
Disney will also use OpenAI’s APIs to build new products, tools, and experiences, including for Disney+, and deploy ChatGPT for its employees.
Read the full story and Bob Iger’s comments for more information about the deal.
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