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Walt Disney and OpenAI make for very odd bedfellows: The former is one of the most-recognized brands among children under the age of 18. The near-$200 billion companys value has been derived from more than a century of aggressive safeguarding of its intellectual property and keeping the magic alive among innocent children. OpenAI, which celebrated its first decade of existence this week, is best known for upending creativity, the economy, and society with its flagship product, ChatGPT. And in the last two months, it has said it wants to get to a place where its adult users can use its tech to create erotica. So what the hell should we make of a just-announced deal between the two that will allow ChatGPT and Sora users to create images and videos of more than 200 characters, from Mickey and Minnie Mouse to the Mandalorian, starting from early 2026? Terms of the deal As part of the three-year agreement, OpenAI has committed to continuing to implement robust trust and safety measures, as well as controls to stop illegal or harmful content. Disney hopes that means you cant make lewd footage of Belle and the Beastbut given the precarity of AI-model guardrails, and the ease with which they can be jailbroken, theres no guarantee. Thats what makes the deal so puzzling for Disney, an externally benign behemoth that has long acted like an attack dog in defending unauthorized use of its intellectual property. Some Disney fans and content creators will undoubtedly celebrate the news and the opportunity to play in the Companys sandbox in a more official way, says Rebecca Williams, a researcher who studies Disney and its business at the University of South Wales. But there are clear questions over copyright here. Among them is how much influence Disneyinfamously controlling over how its characters are depictedwill have over the 800 million ChatGPT users creations. Although the deal reportedly will result in the creation of a joint steering committee to dictate the use of IP, this is a company that has previously sued providers of costumed characters for child birthday parties for unauthorized use of its IP. And as it brokered its deal with OpenAI, lawyers for Disney sent a letter to Google alleging copyright infringement on a massive scale. (Google did not immediately respond to Fast Companys request for comment on the claims.) Disney is famously an IP defender and very aggressive, says Carissa Véliz, an AI ethicist at the University of Oxford, and OpenAI just throws it out the window. Character control Theres also a big shift in how Disney is ceding control of how its characters are depictednot least given Sam Altmans statement this fall that he wants to give verified adult users of OpenAI tools the ability to engage in erotic interactions, and, more generally, to loosen restrictions on OpenAIs tools. Disneys statement frames this very much as giving fans control, offering them more creativity, and greater opportunities to connect with Disney characters and stories, says Williams. It remains to be seen whether this is what fans actually want The deal also requires a shift for OpenAI, too. Presumably, that approach to slackening controls for users across OpenAI apps and services to be more permissive in what they can say, do, and create using the firms technology will have to be tightened more when talking about Disney properties. Alongside letting Disney fans create their own AI versions of favorite characters, the House of Mouse is also leaping headlong into the AI space: As part of the agreement, Disney is investing $1 billion in equity into OpenAI and will reportedly become a major customer of the company. A new frontier for copyright The deal also alters both firms approach to copyright. All the talk between Bob Iger and Sam Altman about redefining the future of storytelling is bluster, reckons Adam Eisgrau, senior director for AI, creativity and copyright policy at the Chamber of Progress, a tech trade group. The biggest story today is what they apparently also have agreed between the lines, he says. That includes the idea that theres no future in content companies fighting fair use to sue generative AI developers for direct copyright infringement over training inputs, and that generative AI developers want to cut more deals to preclude secondary liability legal fights over their outputs. But more than anything else, the deal potentially changes the idea of what made Disney Disney, reckons Véliz. How is it going to affect creativity in the long run? she asks. The raison detre for IP is to incentivize creativity, and when we undermine it, we give talent fewer reasons to focus on being creative, she explains. Its very ironic that a company like Disney, known for valuing talent, for valuing creativity, for valuing craftsmanship, is making a deal with a company that arguably represents the opposite of that.
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Mickey Mouse, welcome to the AI era. Fans will soon be able to create short-form generative AI videos featuring more than 200 Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars characters thanks to a three-year agreement that The Walt Disney Co. inked Thursday with OpenAI. In addition to a $1 billion equity investment in the tech company, Disney will become the first major content licensing partner on OpenAIs Sora app. The new collaboration offers an opportunity for Disney to extend the reach of our storytelling through AI, Bob Iger, Disneys CEO, said in a statement. Bringing together Disneys iconic stories and characters with OpenAIs groundbreaking technology puts imagination and creativity directly into the hands of Disney fans in ways weve never seen before, giving them richer and more personal ways to connect with the Disney characters and stories they love. As for what Disney gets out of this deal, the media giant said it will become a major customer of OpenAI and receive warrants to purchase additional equity. Disney employees will also have access to ChatGPT and use OpenAIs tools to build new products and experiences. DISNEYS CLASHES WITH AI The move by Disney is interesting on two fronts: The company is famously and aggressively protective of its characters, while it has had other recent clashes over AI. In June, Disney and Universal Pictures sued the AI image creator Midjourney, alleging that the company trained its AI models on their intellectual property. And Disney jumped into another AI-related legal tussle this week. The company sent a cease-and-desist letter to Google on Wednesday, accusing the tech giant of using UA to engage in copyright infringement on a massive scale, as Variety reported. By partnering with OpenAI, Disney is busting open its massive toy chest of popular characters spanning the decadesfrom Mickey Mouse to Darth Vader, Ariel, and Captain Americaas fodder for AI creators. The company even teased that some of these fan-created videos could stream on Disney+. It will be interesting to see how this partnership plays out once fans can start creating videos, which is estimated to begin sometime in early 2026. When Sora launched in September, the blowback came fast and furious after users flocked to the platform to create AI-generated videos featuring all sorts of popular characters. Within weeks, the Motion Picture Academy urged OpenAI to stop allowing copyright infringement on the platform. EMPHASIS ON RESPONSIBILITY But Disney and OpenAI emphasized in their announcement that the companies have a shared commitment to the responsible use of AI, which includes protecting the rights of creators. This agreement shows how AI companies and creative leaders can work together responsibly to promote innovation that benefits society, respect the importance of creativity, and help works reach vast new audiences, Sam Altman, cofounder and CEO of OpenAI, said in a statement. How, exactly, opening up the Disney library of characters to use on an AI platform benefits society is a bit unclear. But the agreement seemingly will give Disney more control over how its characters are used in this new era. And, at the very least, investors seem intrigued by the partnership. Disney shares rose nearly 1.5% amid a broader market rally as of mid-day Thursday.
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If budgeting spreadsheets and lofty financial goals leave you stressed rather than inspired, consider another New Years ritual: an end-of-year money audit. The word audit might not sound all that fun. But just like an accountant, its helpful to approach your money behavior as neutral and impersonal as possible. At the end of every year, people tend to jump straight into resolutions: cutting spending, tightening budgets, and promising themselves theyll finally get disciplined in the new year, Jack Howard, Head of Money Wellness at Ally Bank, told Fast Company. But I think the most meaningful financial reset starts somewhere much quieter: with your emotions. One of the most overlooked parts of financial wellness is understanding the emotional habits behind our money choices. Its not about creating a strict budget; its taking stock of the emotional habits behind your spending. When you understand whats working (or not), you can make more intentional choices about what to amplify, adjust, or leave in 2025. Before the holidays get rolling, it can be helpful to take a pause to conduct an emotional money audit. December is a great time to do this because you can go into the new year feeling confident about where you are financially and plan for the upcoming year. Heres how Howard recommends people approach their own audit, to start off 2026 on the right financial footing. Start with reflection, not restriction Look back at the year through the lens of how your spending made you feelsecure, stressed, impulsive, proud? Howard says. Notice patterns without judgment. Ask yourself which habits supported your financial well-being and which ones held you back. More than one in five American adults (22%) said they’d had to dip into their savings to cover their expenses in the past year. And as traditional milestones, like starting a family and homeownership, feel further out of reach for many, treat culture, the habit of indulging in small luxuries has taken grip. Examine the habits beneath your behaviors And yet much of our adult spending behavior started long before we were old enough to even make our own money. I call these our ‘money roots,’ Howard says. Take a moment to understand what triggers certain financial choices and which habits you want to start, continue, or stop heading into 2026. Get a clear, full picture of your finances According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Americans owe more debt than at any point in historymore than $18.5 trillion in total. In such circumstances, it can be easier to bury your head in the sand or throw caution to the wind and book that three-week trip to Europe. When you dont have a clear picture of whats coming in and going out, everyday decisions can feel overwhelming, Howard says. Start by listing out your current income, expenses, savings, and debt. Be specific so you can see where your money is actually going. Create a realistic, values-based spending plan for 2026 Money wellness isnt about always saying ‘no’ to spending, says Howard. Its just as much about saying yes intentionallyto the things that you truly value. Figure out your core values, and invest in them. Is it an expensive gym membership or overpriced fitness class? Is it that coffee you buy on the way to work everyday that puts a smile on your face? Budget for the purchases that bring you joy and cut costs elsewhere. The goal is never perfectionits progress The power of compounding is not limited to investments. Focus on creating positive financial wellness momentum to propel you into the new year, says Howard. Set clear, manageable milestones and outline small, steady steps to build traction, like setting a weekly money check-in, automating tiny transfers towards your goals, or reviewing one spending category at a time.
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