Artificial intelligence technology is breaking down the barriers of Hollywood's representative copyright guardian Disney. Recently, Disney announced a partnership with OpenAI, planning to invest $1 billion (approximately 1.44 trillion Korean won), while allowing its popular IP characters to be applied to the Sora video generation model. CEO Bob Iger made this decision in the context of the AI content transformation wave sweeping the entire media industry, and it is closely related to the short video content environment represented by TikTok, which is favored by younger audiences.
Analysis suggests that this deal means Disney needs to be cautious in limited returns, while OpenAI gains substantial advantages in content-based AI training by acquiring the world's most well-known character IPs. Although the agreement includes safeguards to prevent the abuse of Disney character voices and images, its actual feasibility remains in question. Especially since early characters like Mickey Mouse in 'Steamboat Willie' have entered the public domain, Professor Mark Riedl of Georgia Tech warns about potential legal and branding issues arising from user-generated AI content: 'Disney will eventually face a day of regret.'
The trust crisis is also profoundly impacting the AI industry. According to a report by SiliconANGLE's theCUBE Research, consumer trust in AI agents is continuing to deteriorate. State governments have issued warnings to companies like Google, OpenAI, and Microsoft regarding the rectification of 'chatbot hallucination' output issues, while actual cases of personal injury caused by AI chatbots providing incorrect information have raised widespread societal concerns. As AI technology penetrates sensitive fields such as advertising, security, and browsers, related governance disputes are also intensifying.
Against this backdrop, President Trump recently signed an executive order opposing the initiatives of various states to advance AI regulation. He emphasized that AI policy should establish uniform standards at the federal level and clearly stated that he would prevent excessive regulation from hindering technological innovation.
Meanwhile, the artificial intelligence industry is rapidly expanding in emerging countries like India, centered around infrastructure investment. Amazon announced it would invest $35 billion in India by 2030 (approximately 50.4 trillion Korean won), while Microsoft and Google plan to invest $17.5 billion (approximately 25.2 trillion Korean won) and $15 billion (approximately 21.6 trillion Korean won), respectively. AI is becoming the cornerstone of the digital economy, and global companies' strategic direction is shifting towards a more pragmatic 'worker-bee level of general artificial intelligence.'
Compared to the 'savior-level general artificial intelligence' advocated by OpenAI's Sam Altman, this pragmatic direction has gained industry recognition. AWS believes that practical AI tools can land in the market faster than complex concepts. The recent AWS re:Invent conference was evaluated as being more focused on user value realization rather than flashy demonstrations.
Ultimately, AI is gradually becoming a tool that permeates culture and industry, but challenges related to trust, ethics, regulation, and governance that need to be addressed are also magnifying. Content giants like Disney are no longer avoiding the AI wave and are starting to explore survival strategies amid the torrent, which more clearly indicates the transformation trends of the AI era.
