Overview
- Google removed dozens of AI-made clips featuring Disney-owned characters from YouTube after receiving a cease-and-desist letter accusing its AI services of large-scale infringement.
- Disney’s letter alleges Google used Disney works to train models like Veo and Imagen and distributed infringing outputs, while Google said it is cooperating and pointed to tools such as Content ID.
- Disney confirmed a three-year, $1 billion licensing and investment agreement with OpenAI that will let Sora generate short videos using more than 200 Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars characters.
- The agreement excludes actors’ likenesses and voices, and coverage says select user creations may be curated for Disney+.
- Disturbing Sora-made videos using Disney styles and logos are already circulating, drawing public outcry and union scrutiny, with the WGA condemning the deal and SAG-AFTRA saying it will monitor compliance.