Disney and OpenAI sign landmark deal… and we saw it coming! | E2223

Disney and OpenAI sign landmark deal… and we saw it coming! | E2223

Author: Jason Calacanis December 13, 2025 Duration: 57:58

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Today’s show: 


FINALLY, you can hang out with Kylo Ren and Olaf the Snowman… thanks to the magic of AI.


On TWiST, we’re digging into the mega OpenAI-Disney deal. Mickey is giving Sam Altman a $1 billion investment AND will allow is copyrighted characters to appear in Sora and ChatGPT images.


Of course, Jason predicted this would happen WAY BACK during the summer months and even showed off his “Darth Calacanis” creation on the “All-In Podcast.”


PLUS Amazon has been launching and pulling AI features from Prime Video… what gives? Jason’s predictions on the coming AI blowback and who’s on what side. Why he’s so focused on Education, Health Care, and Housing as issues. AND why founders should always take calls from Big Companies, even if it might just be a fishing expedition.


It’s a new Friday TWiST! Check it out!


Timestamps:


(00:00) Lon joins Alex and Jason to talk about the big Disney-OpenAI deal bringing Disney characters to Sora


(03:10) Jason totally called the Disney-OpenAI stuff on All-In


(9:42) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit.


(18:59) DevStats - DevStats integrates your dev work and your business goals into a shared language that everyone can understand. Get 20% off, plus access to their dedicated Slack channel. Just go to https://www.devstats.com/twist.


(20:15) Why Amazon Prime Video pulled its AI recaps and anime dubs


(24:44) Who gets to set the rules around AI: The Debate Continues


(26:13) Jason’s predictions on the AI blowback coming in 2026… with clips!


(30:11) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/build to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today.


(31:21) Is AI here to help people or replace them?


(35:55) It’s all about EHH: Education, Health Care, Housing


(40:47) How all of this and MORE will be impacted directly by AI automation


(45:35) Why Alex wants to lower the temperature around AI Doomerism


(51:19) JUST FOR FOUNDERS: When should you take a call from a BigCo?


(53:45) Why Jason thinks just about everyone in media will lose to TikTok and YouTube


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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/


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Thank you to our partners:


(9:42) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit.


(18:59) DevStats - DevStats integrates your dev work and your business goals into a shared language that everyone can understand. Get 20% off, plus access to their dedicated Slack channel. Just go to https://www.devstats.com/twist.


(30:11) Crusoe Cloud: Crusoe is the AI factory company. Reliable infrastructure and expert support. Visit https://crusoe.ai/build to reserve your capacity for the latest GPUs today.


Every week, Jason Calacanis dives headfirst into the swirling vortex of Silicon Valley and global tech with This Week in Startups. It’s a direct line to the conversations shaping our digital future, moving far beyond surface-level news. You’ll hear Jason’s unfiltered analysis on everything from market shifts and media trends to the underlying mechanics of building a business, all delivered with a blend of enthusiasm and seasoned skepticism. The core of this podcast, however, lies in the guests. Jason sits down with the very people driving change-founders who have scaled impossible heights, operators managing daily chaos, and investors who spot trends before they become obvious. These conversations are less like formal interviews and more like insider debriefs, pulling back the curtain on real strategies, painful failures, and unexpected successes. For anyone curious about how technology is built, funded, and ultimately changes the world, this series offers a front-row seat. It’s the context behind the headlines, providing a deeper understanding of the forces at play in startups and technology. Tune in for a consistently engaging and insightful look at the ecosystem, straight from someone who lives and breathes it.
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