Disney is paying OpenAI for Star Wars AI. Mickey Mouse, copyright collapse, and why the AI lawsuits era is officially over.

In this episode of They Might Be Self-Aware, Hunter Powers and Daniel Bishop break down the most shocking AI deal yet: Disney investing in OpenAI and licensing Star Wars AI and core Disney IP instead of fighting generative models in court.

This isn’t Disney embracing AI for creativity — it’s Disney accepting reality. Unauthorized generation already won. The House of Mouse chose control over resistance. We unpack why this signals the end of large-scale AI copyright lawsuits, how litigation quietly turned into licensing, and what this means for creators, studios, and anyone still pretending copyright law can stop generative AI.

We also dig into AI slop, disclosure laws, state vs. federal AI regulation, and why 2026 looks less like the year of lawsuits and more like the year of handshakes. If Disney surrendered, everyone else is already negotiating.

This isn’t really about Star Wars.
It’s about who owns culture when everything becomes generative.

⏱️ CHAPTERS

00:00 AI Slop Explained – What low-quality generative content actually means
05:18 Disney Pays OpenAI for Star Wars AI – The most shocking AI licensing deal yet
11:05 Is Copyright Dead? – AI lawsuits, licensing pivots, and why Disney surrendered
16:05 AI Regulation Explained – State laws vs federal control and disclosure mandates
24:55 The Future of AI Media – Generative TV, studio collapse, and what comes next

⚡ Listen now & get self-aware before your tools do.

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Be honest: is Disney playing 4D chess — or admitting copyright is dead?
Comment with your take.

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