SAG-AFTRA Responds to Disney-OpenAI Deal: "We Were Contacted Before the Announcement"

When Disney announced its landmark $1 billion partnership with OpenAI last month, the entertainment industry held its collective breath. Would this deal—which licenses more than 200 Disney characters to AI video platform Sora—spark another battle between Hollywood's creative workforce and the studios? At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, SAG-AFTRA's leadership offered their first substantial response, and it was more nuanced than many expected.

Speaking with Deadline at the tech conference, SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin and National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland revealed that the union had been notified before the public announcement—a courtesy that suggests Disney understood the sensitivity of the deal from the outset.

"All of the Above"

When asked whether the idea of an established Hollywood company making a deal with an AI company is disconcerting, encouraging, or something requiring further study, Crabtree-Ireland didn't hesitate: "All of the above."

It's a refreshingly honest answer that captures the complexity of this moment in entertainment history. The Disney-OpenAI partnership represents uncharted territory, combining one of the world's most valuable intellectual property portfolios with cutting-edge AI technology in ways that could reshape how content is created and consumed.

"We have not yet seen the full agreement," Crabtree-Ireland explained. "We were contacted by both OpenAI and Disney prior to the public announcement, and we were told about the terms of the agreement and given certain assurances by top execs of those companies about what the agreement includes."

The Encouraging Signs

According to SAG-AFTRA's understanding, the Disney-OpenAI deal explicitly excludes any licensing of performer images or voices. This is significant. The union fought hard during the 2023 strikes to establish protections against digital replicas and synthetic performances, and Disney's apparent adherence to those principles in this AI deal suggests the company is taking those concerns seriously.

"On the encouraging side, it's clear that they have been listening to what we've been saying to them," Crabtree-Ireland noted.

The fact that Disney reached out proactively, rather than allowing SAG-AFTRA to learn about the partnership from news reports, also signals a different approach than might have occurred a few years ago. Whether this represents genuine respect for labour concerns or simply smart public relations, it establishes a precedent for how major AI deals might be communicated going forward.

The Concerns Remain

But Crabtree-Ireland didn't sugarcoat his reservations. "One concern I have, and I expect Sean shares, is precisely why Disney would want to do it," he said.

This gets to the heart of the creative community's anxiety about AI partnerships. Even when specific protections are in place, the broader trajectory concerns artists. If Disney is investing $1 billion in AI technology, what does that suggest about the company's long-term vision for content creation? How many animators, artists, and performers might eventually find their work supplanted by algorithmic alternatives?

"It's essential that we continue to create separation between AI, as an algorithmic tool, and humanity," Crabtree-Ireland emphasised.

Contract Negotiations Loom

The timing of these comments is particularly significant. SAG-AFTRA is preparing to negotiate a new contract with studios, with talks scheduled to begin February 9. The current contract doesn't expire until June 30, but the union chose to go first among the guilds this year, partly to ensure adequate time to address the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

"Part of the reason we wanted to go first is that we wanted to be able to have the time we feel is necessary," Astin told Deadline. "We appreciate that [AMPTP members] are willing to engage early in order to properly examine each item."

AI protections will inevitably be central to these negotiations. The 2023 contract established baseline protections against synthetic performances, but technology has advanced significantly since then. Tools like OpenAI's Sora can now generate increasingly realistic video content, and the Disney partnership ensures these tools will have access to some of the most beloved characters in entertainment history.

The Tilly Norwood Factor

Adding urgency to these discussions is the emergence of fully synthetic AI performers. Tilly Norwood, a generative AI actress introduced last year, drew fierce backlash and a stern statement from SAG-AFTRA. The concept of AI performers being represented by agents and potentially cast in productions that would otherwise go to human actors represents exactly the kind of scenario the union hopes to prevent.

"We perceive the beginning of a recovery happening in the industry," Astin noted, referencing the production slowdown that followed the 2023 strikes. "We were very mindful of wanting to protect that, and starting early and going first, I think, gives everyone a little bit of comfort that whatever issues we have to work, that we can do it in a way that will not impede that."

What It Means for Disney Parks

While the Disney-OpenAI partnership primarily concerns the company's media and entertainment divisions, the implications could eventually extend to theme parks. Disney has already experimented with AI in various operational capacities, and the technology's ability to generate personalised content could theoretically influence everything from interactive experiences to character encounters.

For now, the characters you meet in the parks remain reassuringly human—performers in costume bringing Disney magic to life the old-fashioned way. But as AI capabilities expand and Disney deepens its investment in the technology, guests should expect the company to explore how these tools might enhance (or, depending on your perspective, alter) the theme park experience.

A Watchful Peace

SAG-AFTRA's response to the Disney-OpenAI deal reflects a union navigating unprecedented territory. They're not declaring war, but they're certainly not celebrating either. The advance notification from Disney suggests both parties understand the importance of maintaining dialogue, even as fundamental questions about the future of creative work remain unresolved.

As Crabtree-Ireland summarised, every future negotiation SAG-AFTRA participates in will involve "looking at how AI is rolling out and developing." Machine learning technology has evolved dramatically in recent years, and the hope is to "continue creating separation between AI, as an algorithmic tool, and humanity."

The conversation is just beginning. Disney has placed its bet on AI. Now Hollywood waits to see what that bet ultimately costs—and who pays the price.

Until next time, keep believing in magic.

— Behind the Wish