WGA Trashes Disney OpenAI Deal — Accuses Company of Theft

Disney’s recent deal with OpenAI is facing strong criticism from Hollywood unions. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) claims Disney is supporting the unauthorized use of writers’ creative work with this partnership.

The announcement of a new partnership between Disney and OpenAI sparked immediate debate. This deal, which involves both investment and licensing, is likely to create conflict between Disney, OpenAI, and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) as they grapple with the impact of artificial intelligence on the future of writing and creative work.

The disagreement centers around Disney’s choice to allow OpenAI to use over 200 characters from its popular franchises—like Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars—and its commitment to invest $1 billion in OpenAI. This deal will allow OpenAI’s Sora and ChatGPT Images to create videos featuring Disney characters based on what users request, starting in early 2026.

WGA Accuses Disney and Open AI of Undermining Writers’ Work

The WGA strongly criticized Disney’s new partnership with OpenAI in a message to its members. The union said the deal seems to support practices they have consistently fought against, and they expressed their disapproval in very direct language.

The union stated that Disney’s partnership with OpenAI seems to approve of the company taking credit for their work and unfairly gives the benefits of their creations to a tech company that has profited from the work of artists like them.

The WGA also plans to meet with Disney executives to carefully review the deal, specifically looking at how AI-created videos using user input might incorporate work done by its members.

They stated they plan to meet with Disney to examine the details of the agreement, specifically how videos created by users might incorporate the writing of WGA members.

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) reaffirmed its consistent stance that AI companies, like OpenAI, have used a huge amount of copyrighted work to develop their technology without getting permission.

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) claims that companies like OpenAI have used copyrighted material – including scripts and other works created by its members and Hollywood professionals – to develop their AI technology without permission.

Disney Draws a Legal Line—But Not Everyone Is Convinced

Disney states the agreement includes strong protections. They say OpenAI isn’t allowed to use Disney’s characters, stories, or other creative works to train its AI, and the deal doesn’t involve using the voices or appearances of Disney’s actors or performers.

Despite this reassurance, many critics remain unconvinced, especially considering Disney’s recent legal actions against other tech companies. Just days before partnering with OpenAI, Disney actually sent a legal warning to Google, claiming their AI tools were allowing widespread copyright violations.

The apparent contradiction has not gone unnoticed.

The Writers Guild of America applauded Disney for taking a stand against Google, but also wondered why those same concerns disappear when Disney is considering investing in AI itself.

SAG-AFTRA Takes a Cautious—but Watchful—Stance

I’ve been following the situation, and while SAG-AFTRA hasn’t come out with a strong disapproval, they’ve definitely let us know they’re watching things very carefully. It feels like they’re waiting to see how it all plays out before making a firm statement.

SAG-AFTRA stated they will carefully watch how the agreement is carried out to confirm it follows the terms of their contracts and all relevant laws regarding the use of performers’ images, voices, and identities.

The actors’ union stated they’ve been talking with OpenAI for months about protecting performers, and they’ve received promises from both Disney and OpenAI that existing contracts and legal agreements will be respected.

However, SAG-AFTRA also cautioned that the current safety measures for AI aren’t strong enough and need to be improved throughout the entertainment industry.

OpenAI Frames Deal as “Responsible AI”

OpenAI addressed the concerns by presenting the deal as a new way for tech and entertainment companies to work together.

The company stated that this agreement is a significant step forward, demonstrating how AI businesses and the entertainment world can collaborate to create useful guidelines for ethical AI practices.

It’s still unclear if this perspective will last, especially since labor groups are increasingly pointing out that AI systems rely on creative work that isn’t being paid for.

Does the WGA Have a Point — or Are They Grasping at Straws?

The situation is complex. While the Writers Guild of America (WGA) raises valid points, their accusations about Disney’s direct responsibility are likely exaggerated.

The Writers Guild is right to point out that current AI systems were developed using data in a way that existing copyright laws didn’t fully address. It’s now generally accepted, and legal documents are starting to reflect this, that these early AI models learned from huge amounts of copyrighted work without getting permission or paying for it.

As a fan, it makes total sense to me why the Writers Guild is saying that a lot of today’s AI is powered by writing we haven’t been paid for. It feels like our work is being used to build these tools without any compensation, and that doesn’t seem right.

The union’s strongest point is how this looks to the public. Disney is publicly criticizing Google for allowing its AI to violate copyright on a large scale. However, Disney is simultaneously investing a billion dollars in OpenAI and allowing AI to use hundreds of its characters. Even with new protections in place for future AI development, this still benefits a company whose initial AI models were built without those safeguards. This inconsistency is hard for workers to overlook.

While the Disney-OpenAI partnership has drawn criticism, claiming it “sanctions theft” is an overreach of what the contract actually covers. Disney didn’t contribute to training OpenAI’s models, didn’t approve of any previous data collection, and the agreement specifically prevents OpenAI from using Disney’s copyrighted material for training. This makes the accusation more about public opinion than a legal issue.

The Writers Guild of America’s current strong stance is as much about timing as it is about their principles. While writers recently won some protections regarding AI in their contracts, studios are now quickly forming long-term AI partnerships. The union has the most bargaining power now, before these partnerships become standard practice. Therefore, their demands are deliberately broad – aimed at publicly pushing Disney, rather than outlining a precise agreement.

As a film fan, I see this whole Disney/WGA thing as being less about legal wrongdoing and more about something much bigger: who gets to decide what stories are worth in the future. The Writers Guild is absolutely right to be worried about where AI is heading, but I think their issue with Disney is mixing real, long-term concerns with a contract that, as far as we can tell, is actually set up to prevent the problems the union is afraid of.

A Flashpoint for Hollywood’s AI Future

The recent disagreement between Disney, OpenAI, and the Writers Guild of America reveals a larger problem in Hollywood. Studios are excited about making money with AI, but writers and actors are worried that AI could diminish the quality of their work, replace them altogether, or lower its value.

Now that Disney has invested in OpenAI, discussions with workers about artificial intelligence are expected to become even more difficult. The results of these negotiations will likely determine how AI is used in movies, TV shows, and streaming services for a long time.

Disney is currently facing a tricky situation. They’re strongly defending copyright, but also investing in technology that many artists and creators fear will undermine their ability to make a living.

2025-12-12 18:59