Disney collaborates with OpenAI... The reason for allowing Mickey Mouse to join Sora

Artificial intelligence technology is breaking down the barriers of Hollywood’s iconic rights guardian, Disney. Recently, Disney announced a partnership with OpenAI, planning to invest $1 billion (approximately 1.44 trillion Korean won), while allowing its popular IP characters to be used in the Sora video generation model. The background for CEO Bob Iger’s decision stems from the wave of AI content transformation sweeping the media industry, as well as the short video content environment favored by young audiences, exemplified by TikTok.

Analysts believe that this deal means Disney will need to adopt a cautious stance amid limited returns, while OpenAI gains a substantial advantage in content-based AI training by acquiring globally renowned character IPs. Although the agreement includes mechanisms to prevent abuse of Disney characters’ voices and likenesses, questions remain about its practical feasibility. Especially since early character images like Mickey Mouse’s “Steamboat Willie” are now in the public domain, legal and brand issues related to user-generated AI content could arise. Georgia Tech’s Professor Mark Riedel warned, “Disney will eventually regret this.”

A trust crisis similarly impacts the AI industry deeply. According to a report by theCUBE Research under SiliconANGLE, consumer trust in AI agents continues to deteriorate. State governments have issued warnings to companies like Google, OpenAI, and Microsoft about issues with “chatbot hallucinations.” Cases where AI chatbots have caused harm by providing false information have sparked widespread societal concern. As AI technology penetrates sensitive fields such as advertising, security, and browsers, related governance disputes are becoming more intense.

In this context, President Trump recently signed an executive order opposing efforts by states to regulate AI. He emphasized that AI policies should be unified at the federal level and explicitly stated that overregulation should be prevented from hindering technological innovation.

Meanwhile, the artificial intelligence industry is expanding rapidly in emerging countries like India, focusing on infrastructure investments. Amazon announced plans to invest $35 billion (about 50.4 trillion Korean won) in India by 2030, while Microsoft and Google also plan to invest $17.5 billion (about 25.2 trillion Korean won) and $15 billion (about 21.6 trillion Korean won), respectively. AI is becoming a core pillar of the digital economy, with global companies shifting their strategic focus toward more pragmatic “worker bee-level general AI.”

Compared to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s advocacy for “savior-level general AI,” this pragmatic approach is gaining industry approval. AWS believes that practical AI tools can be deployed to the market more quickly than complex concepts. The recent AWS re:Invent conference was praised for focusing more on delivering value to users rather than showcasing flashy technology.

Ultimately, AI is gradually becoming a tool that permeates culture and industry, but challenges related to trust, ethics, regulation, and governance are also being magnified. Content giants like Disney are no longer avoiding the AI wave; instead, they are beginning to explore survival strategies amid the turbulent currents, which more clearly indicates the transformation trend of the AI era.