Before the end of 2025, Disney surprised everyone (derogatory) by entering into a $1 billion deal with OpenAI. With it, over 200 Disney characters have been licensed for the Sora video platform and image generator ChatGPT. From the general public and Hollywood alike, reactions weren’t exactly thrilled, but SAG-AFTRA is keeping an open mind. Sort of.
Talking to Deadline at CES, union presidents Sean Astin and Duncan Crabtree-Ireland were asked what the deal could mean for the acting industry. In 2023 and 2024, SAG-AFTRA went on strike to secure better protections against synthetic performers and actors being made to sign their voice rights away. Crabtree-Ireland admitted he doesn’t know the full details of the agreement made between the two companies but revealed they contacted SAG-AFTRA before the public reveal.
In the call announcing the deal, “top execs” from Disney and OpenAI said the deal has “certain assurances,” such as “explicitly excluding any licensing of any performer images or voices,” explained Crabtree-Ireland. “One concern I have, and I expect Sean shares, is precisely why Disney would want to do it. Making a deal like that before the IP litigation, copyright litigation is resolved, could be smart.”
While Disney can’t be stopped from partnering with OpenAI, SAG-AFTRA knows it’s made progress where it can. Crabtree-Ireland noted the union’s contract from 2023 requires companies to proactively disclose if they’ve created and used a synthetic performance, of which there’ve been “zero notices” about so far. But they’re not stopping there: every future negotiation SAG-AFTRA takes part in will involve “looking at how AI is rolling out and developing.” Machine learning technology has greatly evolved in recent years, and the hope is to “continue creating separation between AI, as an algorithmic tool, and humanity.”
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