Disney Licenses Characters to OpenAI, Takes $1 Billion Stake (2)

Walt Disney Co. is licensing iconic characters including Mickey Mouse and Cinderella to OpenAI for use on its artificial intelligence video platform and has agreed to take a $1 billion stake in the startup.

As part of the new three-year pact, OpenAI’s Sora will be able to draw from from a library of more than 200 animated and creature characters — from Lilo and Stitch to Ariel and Simba — when generating AI videos in response to user prompts. The deal announced Thursdaydoesn’t cover any talent likenesses or voices, however. So a video could feature Woody from Toy Story ...