Disney has hit a new low following a statement from CEO Bob Iger in December, announcing a partnership with Sora and OpenAI.
“The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence marks an important moment for our industry, and through this collaboration with OpenAI we will thoughtfully and responsibly extend the reach of our storytelling through generative AI, while respecting and protecting creators and their works,” Iger said in an OpenAI press release on December 11.
The bottom line is that Sora will be able to generate short, user-prompted social videos that can be viewed and shared by fans, drawing on more than 200 Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars characters. The agreement will make a selection of these fan-inspired videos available to stream on Disney+.
This may sound like a positive to some users, but many artists and writers feel betrayed. Those who created these iconic characters for Disney feel like the company spit in their faces with this announcement. Major animation companies are also concerned about this new addition to the streaming service.
“Disney is getting lazy and thinks using AI will make a better outcome. It’s hurtful for those who’re choosing a creative path in the media. I’m against it, as it’s basically plagiarism starting to form, taking artificial intelligence answers as their own,” said sophomore artist Loryn Govea.
Even student artists and teachers feel disrespected. Animation teacher Benjamin Majerek argues that current AI development isn’t designed to help artists sharpen their skills or find efficient shortcuts; rather, it is designed to replace them entirely. While he acknowledges that AI could potentially improve specialized animation workflows, he remains skeptical of the current market’s direction.
“There’s some very specific instances where AI could be helpful in especially areas like 3D technology. The issue is that no one’s making those things,” Majercak explained.
He notes that instead of hiring professionals, companies are moving towards executives simply typing in a prompt to create content from scratch.
“I would be resistant if I were an artist working at Disney… I would probably be scratching my head and looking at the bigger picture of the supremacy of AI and the wider financial world,” he said.
This doesn’t mean Disney is letting just any company use their characters—for example, Midjourney. Disney is currently suing them for mass copyright violations, alleging that Midjourney is stealing the work of Disney’s artists. Similarly, Disney is suing Google, claiming Google’s AI models were illegally trained on Disney characters.
Many artists have since left Disney to join independent, AI-free animation companies like Glitch, an Australian indie studio. Dana Terrace, the creator of The Owl House, left Disney following the company’s AI partnership. She joined Glitch to direct a new series. Some are wondering if indie studios are the future of the industry.
Based on the viewership and financial support Glitch has earned from its fanbase, the answer appears to be yes. Disney is slowly losing its audience and is frequently called out by fans for an over-reliance on sequels and poor writing. Is this Disney’s way of admitting they’re out of ideas, by partnering with a tool that mocks the artists who built them?
If you were hoping Disney would change course under a different CEO, that’s not going to happen. On Feb. 3, Iger announced that he would be stepping down and would be replaced by Josh D’Amaro. During an interview with ABC News, D’Amaro said the company would be embracing AI.
“This is when the Walt Disney Company thrives, when technology intersects with brilliant people and creativity.”
Now it’s time for Disney to make a choice: will they keep spending money on AI partnerships, or will they actually listen to their fans and stop using “AI slop” to replace talented artists and writers?
