Disney is exiting the deal it signed with OpenAI last year as the artificial intelligence (AI) research and deployment company shuts down its video-generation app Sora.
In December, the Walt Disney Company announced a $1 billion agreement with OpenAI to bring Disney characters to Sora, OpenAI's short-form generative AI video platform.
However, Sora said in a statement earlier this week: "We’re saying goodbye to Sora. To everyone who created with Sora, shared it, and built community around it: thank you. What you made with Sora mattered, and we know this news is disappointing."
It added: "We’ll share more soon, including timelines for the app and API and details on preserving your work."
In another statement, Disney said it respects OpenAI's decision to close the Sora app and is exploring partnerships with other AI platforms.
Via the Hollywood Reporter, a Disney spokesperson said: "As the nascent AI field advances rapidly, we respect OpenAI’s decision to exit the video generation business and to shift its priorities elsewhere.
"We appreciate the constructive collaboration between our teams and what we learned from it, and we will continue to engage with AI platforms to find new ways to meet fans where they are while responsibly embracing new technologies that respect IP and the rights of creators.”
$1bn Disney deal cancelled
Disney was set to be the first major content licensing partner on Sora, and as part of the deal was to make a $1bn equity investment in OpenAI.
Users would have been able to make videos and images in Sora and ChatGPT using Disney characters including Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Lilo, Stitch, Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Baymax, Simba and Mufasa.
Images courtesy of Disney and OpenAI
