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Disney, OpenAI Strike $1B Deal for AI Character Videos

Does this partnership democratize storytelling and strengthen Disney’s hand, or cheapen the Disney brand with AI-generated slop?

Published 1 day ago

Disney, OpenAI Strike $1B Deal for AI Character Videos

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Above: Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, on Apr. 3, 2025. Image credit: Gary Hershorn/Getty Images

The Spin

Techno-optimist narrative

This groundbreaking partnership puts the power of imagination directly into the hands of fans, allowing them to create personal connections with the stories and characters they love. Simultaneously, Disney’s strategic investment in OpenAI secures the company a leading technological position while maintaining the robust controls needed to protect the rights of the creative industry.

Openai

Techno-skeptic narrative

Disney’s billion-dollar deal with OpenAI transforms its subscribers into unpaid content generators, who will flood the internet with AI-slop, degrading the beloved characters carefully crafted by skilled human artists. In doing so, this deal will significantly cheapen Disney’s creative integrity and will invite the same toxic misuse seen on other platforms, such as Fortnite.

CNN Verge

Metaculus Prediction

There is a 51% chance that OpenAI will reach its profit cap for the first round of investors by 2035, according to the Metaculus prediction community.