The company that has most closely monitored his iconic characters Disney is preparing for something that a few years ago would have seemed like science fiction: letting fans creatively play with its franchises on Disney+. The company wants viewers to move beyond simply pressing play and be able to create their own experiences. short videos with generative AI using Mickey, Elsa, Darth Vader or Iron Man within an official and controlled environment.
This shift is not a mere passing experiment. It is backed by multi-million dollar agreements with OpenAI and other technology companiesIn a context where artificial intelligence is redefining how digital entertainment is produced and consumed, the move blends creative ambition, business strategy, the need for legal protection, and a very clear idea: if fans are already generating AI-powered content outside of official channels, Disney prefers set the rules of the game from inside.
What does Disney+ intend to do with generative AI?
Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, explained to shareholders that Disney+ is working on a series of features that will allow subscribers create and consume self-generated content directly from the platform. The idea is to introduce generative AI tools that produce short clips featuring official characters and different visual styles.
Iger himself has defined these changes as the deeper since the launch of Disney+ In 2019, this involved both technological and product improvements. It wasn't just about adding a few extras, but about pushing the streaming platform towards a more interactive model, somewhere between Netflix, TikTok, and certain video games focused on creation.
For now, Disney has not announced a neither a release date nor a possible additional cost for these functions. What the company has made clear is that it is holding advanced talks with companies specializing in generative AI and that the absolute focus will be on protecting the intellectual property of its catalog, even while opening the door to fan creativity.
In this context, the CEO has insisted that the plan involves allowing users to generate content primarily on short format and within the closed environment of Disney+Without direct download or free distribution on social media from the outset. It's a way to experiment with co-creation without losing control of the ecosystem.
All of this comes at a time when Generation Z declares, according to the Digital Media Trends report, that 56% consider social media content more relevant than traditional series or films. To retain these users and attract new ones, Disney+ needs to differentiate itself in a saturated market, and the chosen path is clear: Less passive consumption and more active participation.
What the experience inside Disney+ might look like
The internal vision is that the user will open Disney+ and, alongside their usual series, find a button like this: “Create” or “Create your story”From there, the system would allow you to write a short sentence, choose a few allowed characters and select a visual style, while the AI takes care of the rest: script, animation, synthetic voices and basic editing.
In the initial rollout, everything points to the clips being segments lasting a few seconds or minutesWith a limited list of authorized characters and settings, the templates will be very restricted to maintain a family-friendly tone and avoid overly unusual experiments, making it more like an advanced toy than a professional animation studio.
Another possibility that has been considered is that users can insert themselves into the scenes, uploading a photo Or a short video that AI integrates with characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, or Star Wars. The idea of appearing on screen with Darth Vader, Baymax, or Moana in a personalized clip fits well with the kind of content many would then want to show to family and friends, although the company wants to keep that kind of content within its own apps.
These experiences didn't come out of nowhere. They were inspired by examples like Showrunner, the platform that calls itself the “Netflix of AI”capable of creating animated episodes from descriptions of just 10 or 15 words. Showrunner already demonstrated the appeal of this type of content when he generated nine unauthorized episodes of 'South Park' that garnered around 80 million views, making it clear that there is an audience willing to watch and produce material created with AI.
At the same time, Disney wants to incorporate Disney+ elements similar to video games Thanks to its partnership with Epic Games. That is, interactive layers, gameplay dynamics, and engagement mechanics reminiscent of platform experiences like Roblox, reinforcing the feeling that the viewer is playing within the Disney universe and not just being swept along.
The Disney-OpenAI deal: Sora, ChatGPT and 200 licensed characters
In this whole chessboard, the most striking piece is the official alliance between Disney and OpenAI, announced on December 11, 2025. Disney has become the first major global content partner of Sora, OpenAI's AI-powered video generation platform, and has given access to more than 200 licensed characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars.
The agreement establishes a initial three-year licenseThis project, with the option to expand, goes far beyond a simple technical experiment. It encompasses everything from the possibility for fans to create short videos with these characters in Sora and ChatGPT Images, to the selective integration of certain creations within Disney+ itself as part of its participatory catalog.
As part of the deal, Disney will conduct a $1.000 billion strategic investment in OpenAIwith the possibility of acquiring more shares in the future. In return, it will use the company's APIs to drive new products, internal tools, and digital experiences that leverage ChatGPT, Sora, and other generative models, both for public-facing applications and in internal creative, operational, and customer service processes.
The agreement comes with very clear communication regarding respect for human creators. It has been established as a red line that No real actors' voices or faces will be used without specific agreements, and that the creations will be based exclusively on characters, settings, and elements that fall within the granted license. No cloning of performers without permission or impersonating them.
Both Bob Iger and Sam Altman have publicly emphasized that this pact is intended to be seen as a example of responsible collaboration between AI and creative leadersThe message is that the potential of artificial intelligence can be harnessed to open new narrative avenues and user experiences without infringing on the rights of human talent or turning technology into a means of covert exploitation.
What exactly can the user do with Sora and ChatGPT?
In practice, the fan will be able to use Sora to generate short videos By writing a prompt in natural language, something as simple as "Elsa and Moana on the beach at sunset chatting about adventures" or "Darth Vader training Grogu on a spaceship," the model produces an animated piece consistent with the official visual styles.
A selection of this content, curated and moderated by Disney itself, may end up within Disney+ as “AI-powered experiences”This opens the door for certain fan creations to become a visible part of the official ecosystem. This is where the possibility of creating programs like "best clips of the week" or featured sections with the company's branding comes into play.
This logic represents a profound change: the user is no longer a passive spectator, but a co-protagonist of the narrativeThis model offers powerful tools encapsulated in a secure environment. It aligns with the habits of new generations, accustomed to social, collaborative, and personalized formats, and who already move naturally between TikTok, Roblox, and video game modding communities.
This also sets a business precedent: licensing characters for AI platforms becomes a new source of incomeAnd monetizing fan creativity becomes a real option as long as strict control is maintained over what is published, how it is used, and who retains the exploitation rights.
Intellectual property, control, and the legal labyrinth of AI
One of the most delicate points of this whole movement is defining who owns what is generated When a fan creates an AI-powered video using Disney characters, is it a derivative work owned exclusively by the company? Is it a kind of collaboration between the user and the studio? Should there be mechanisms for recognition or financial compensation if a piece becomes very popular?
Disney has made it clear that protecting its catalog remains a priority. We're talking about a company that has even pushed for legislative changes to... to prevent Mickey Mouse from prematurely entering the public domain and has sued AI tools for training models with its works without authorization. In this context, opening a creative system to the user does not imply relinquishing control, but rather establishing contracts, terms of use, and very strict filters.
The agreement with OpenAI includes, among other things, the exclusion of voices and physical features of real actors Unless otherwise expressly agreed, and with advanced moderation commitments to prevent sexual, violent, or illegal content, especially considering the presence of minors in the Disney+ audience, OpenAI will be required to deploy powerful filtering systems, and Disney reserves the right to curate all content that enters its platforms.
The company also maintains a firm stance against unauthorized uses. In parallel with its alliance with OpenAI, it has sent cease and desist letters to companies such as Character.AI or Google by Geminiaccusing them of reproducing their copyrighted works to train and feed AI services without permission. In one of these filings, Disney goes so far as to describe Gemini as a “virtual vending machine” capable of spitting out copies of its library on a massive scale.
All of this takes place in a scenario of regulation is still very much in its early stages In the field of AI, there are significant legal gray areas regarding copyright, liability for problematic content, and the legal status of model-generated works. Disney and OpenAI have sought to position themselves as examples of best practices, but the debate on intellectual property, creative attribution, and potential compensation for users and artists is far from over.
Risks to the brand, the creators, and the user experience
Giving creative tools to millions of people inevitably leads to Risks of moderation and reputationDisney has etched in its memory cases from other platforms where familiar characters have ended up in grotesque or inappropriate situations when the floodgates are opened too wide, as happened with certain interactions of Fortnite players with the voice of Darth Vader.
To avoid similar shows, the company will need to combine automated filters, human review, and creative boundaries very clear. This implies additional costs and scaling challenges, because any slip-up that goes viral can quickly become a global image problem, especially when the brand is associated with family-friendly content.
From the professionals' side, there is clear concern. Following the writers' and actors' strikes of 2023, many fear that these fan co-creation systems could be used to weaken labor agreementsOutsourcing creative work without pay and justifying cuts in scriptwriting, storyboard, or animation teams. If the public "works for free" generating content, the question is what space is left for paid work.
Added to this is the risk that they will appear parodic, critical or borderline content where the characters venture into territory Disney would prefer to avoid, even though the company has the technical capabilities to curb many of those experiments. The tension between creative freedom and corporate control is inevitable and will be one of the major points of contention in the model.
Furthermore, we must not forget social perception. Some members of the public applaud the idea of playing their favorite franchises thanks to AI, while others see these moves as an attempt to to appropriate fan culture and monetize a type of creativity that until now operated on the margins, such as fan fiction, video game mods, or social media posts.
Why Disney is making moves now: the streaming market and generational pressure
Disney's decision cannot be understood without looking at the context of saturated and changing streamingPlatforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Max, and social media itself compete for the same screen time, as shown by a definitive comparisonYoung people are increasingly consuming short, interactive, and social content, and dedicating hours to experiences like Roblox, TikTok, or Minecraft-type game mods, where creating and playing become intertwined.
Disney+ has added nearly in the last quarter 3,8 million new subscribersBut the company knows that simply uploading series and movies isn't enough. Young people are increasingly consuming short, interactive, and social content, and dedicating hours to experiences like Roblox, TikTok, or Minecraft-type game mods, where creating and playing become intertwined.
Given this scenario, offering users the possibility of build their own stories within official universes It's a way to increase engagement, average session duration, and brand loyalty. Furthermore, it opens the door to business models where content creation platforms could have different pricing structures compared to those that simply offer content for consumption.
The strategy also has a defensive aspect. With generative AI now capable of mimicking visual and narrative styles, any user can create a video with characters similar to Disney's, even if they aren't official. By creating a regulated and attractive framework for fansThe company is trying to channel that energy towards approved experiences, reducing the incentive to use unauthorized tools.
There is a relevant precedent in the history of digital entertainment: the video game modding communitiesGames like DOOM and Minecraft experienced monumental growth thanks to player-created content, to the point that many companies ended up officially integrating and rewarding modders. Disney seems to want to replicate part of that phenomenon, but with a licensing and filtering structure typical of a major Hollywood studio.
Ultimately, all this movement makes Disney+ more than just a distribution platform: it aspires to be a creative ecosystem where technology, data and storytelling They are combined to keep users "at home" for longer and with more reasons to stay month after month.
If the plan goes well, the Mickey Mouse platform could go from being the place where official stories are viewed to becoming the space where Millions of people reinterpret, expand, and personalize Those stories with AI. If it goes wrong, however, moderation problems, legal controversies, and rejection from professional creators could turn this gamble into a major setback for the brand.
The scenario that unfolds with Disney+, OpenAI, Sora, and the new AI features is, in any case, a massive experiment that will test the boundaries between technological innovation, copyright, participatory creativity, and corporate responsibility, and where the balance between Protect the legacy and let it play with its fans It will be the true test for the future of digital entertainment.
