In Disney's three-year licensing partnership with OpenAI, only the first year will be exclusive, Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed in an interview with CNBC. The company recently signed a collaboration agreement with OpenAI, enabling its iconic characters to be integrated into the AI firm’s Sora video generation tool. After this initial exclusive period ends, Disney will have the freedom to enter similar agreements with other AI companies.

This partnership provides OpenAI with a high-profile content ally, granting users access to over 200 characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars to create content on Sora. Currently, it stands as the only AI platform legally authorized for such use.

For Disney, the deal offers a strategic entry point into generative AI, allowing the company to evaluate its collaboration with OpenAI before pursuing additional partnerships involving its intellectual property.

"No human generation has ever succeeded in halting technological progress, and we don’t intend to try," Iger told CNBC. "We’ve always believed that if these changes are going to happen—including disruptions to our current business model—we should be actively involved."

Notably, on the same day Disney announced its agreement with OpenAI, it also sent a cease-and-desist letter to Google, accusing the tech giant of copyright infringement. Google has neither confirmed nor denied Disney’s allegations but stated it would engage with the company.