OpenAI and Disney Strike a Calculated Alliance as IP Lines Harden
Dec/15/2025
OpenAI is tightening its grip on its core identity while expanding its reach, filing U.S. trademark oppositions against applications for 'COACHGPT', 'FITNESSGPT', and 'GPT' even as it secures a landmark partnership with Disney. The $1 billion, three-year deal gives OpenAI licensed access to more than 200 Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar characters for use in Sora and ChatGPT, while Disney gains AI tools for internal use and a stake—via warrants—in a company valued at roughly $500 billion. For Disney, the alliance offers a controlled path into generative AI, aimed at engaging younger audiences and boosting Disney+, while contrasting sharply with its more confrontational stance toward Google over alleged copyright misuse. For OpenAI, the agreement bolsters its competitive position against rivals such as Google’s Gemini, pairing legal defensiveness over the 'GPT' name with a high-profile endorsement from one of the world’s most powerful content owners. The following table summarizes U.S. trademark opposition cases involving CHATGPT and GPT-formative marks filed over the past three months.
