Everyone criticizes Disney for their deal with OpenAI.
I believe it is the smartest move of the year.
- Yes, they invested $1 billion.
- Yes, they “handed over” Mickey, Darth Vader, and 200 characters to Sora.
- Yes, artists are furious.
But let us review the facts:
1. The Train Already Left the Station#
People were already generating content with Disney characters in AI tools before the deal: without permission, without control, without a penny for Disney.
The alternative? Sue. As they did with Google recently, accusing them of infringing copyright “at massive scale” with Veo and Nano Banana.
The result of suing in tech? Ask yourself how it went for the music industry against Napster.
2. Monetize Over Litigate#
Disney did not sell their characters. They licensed them. For 3 years.
- With controls.
- Without actor voices.
- Without training models on their IP.
- With curated content that they choose for Disney+.
- And in the process, they became shareholders in a company valued at $500 billion.
3. The Real Game Is Distribution#
Gen Z and Gen Alpha do not go to the movies. They do not watch linear TV. They live on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and now – Sora.
Disney reported $23.62 billion in Q2 2025 revenue, +7% YoY. They have 3 of the 5 highest-grossing films of the year.
ChatGPT has 800 million weekly users and was the number 1 downloaded app in the US in 2025. That is the audience Disney just reached.
Disney just bought a seat at the table where the next generation’s content consumption is decided. Bob Iger is not selling Disney’s past – he is buying its future.