AI or artificial intelligence has been quite the chatter, and now amongst Disney. The Walt Disney Company is always looking for new ways to be innovative. It is a company, so of course, at the forefront will always be making the business revenue, but hopefully, the brand’s integrity. When Walt Disney first began his journey, it was nearly unimaginable to see what would come of it. As someone so interested in innovation, like his idea of EPCOT, I ponder how he would feel about integrating AI into The Walt Disney Company.
With new technology will always come a learning curve and some growing pains. Disney is feeling some pain right now in various areas of the company. Speculations claim that maybe using AI is a way of cutting corners or just cutting costs for the company.
Disney has created a task force looking at ways AI can be leveraged across the company, according to three sources who spoke to @Reuters.
In the theme parks: “AI could enhance customer support or create novel interactions…” pic.twitter.com/dEeVwaj3Am
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) August 8, 2023
AI and Disney
The Walt Disney Company is known for being the pioneer in animation, so why not continue in that vein? The company has recently looked into AI by creating a task force to study the potential. While many find it ironic for the timing, the launch of the task force was earlier in the year, prior to the Hollywood writers’ strike. It may be seen as insensitive to search as the strike continues while writers and actors battle the industry, but as of now, nothing has been solidified.
According to Reuters, “Disney has 11 current job openings seeking candidates with expertise in artificial intelligence or machine learning.” Additionally, the idea is to see how AI can develop in-house applications and potentially enhance all areas of The Walt Disney Company. According to the job description, Reuters reported, “The positions touch virtually every corner of the company – from Walt Disney Studios to the company’s theme parks and engineering group, Walt Disney Imagineering, to Disney-branded television and the advertising team, which is looking to build a “next-generation” AI-powered ad system.”
CEO Bob Iger’s Thoughts
These 11 positions could help with film development and potentially cut costs on the production of movies. Films that have taken a hit at the box office after not exceeding the production amount, like The Little Mermaid (2023), could be a real saving for the company. CEO Bob Iger weighed in on the conversation a bit in May when talking briefly about AI. According to Fox Business, Iger responded;
It’s pretty clear that AI developments represent some pretty interesting opportunities for us and some substantial benefits,” he told analysts and investors during the company’s second-quarter earnings call. “In fact, we’re already starting to use AI to create some efficiencies and ultimately to better serve consumers. Getting closer to the customer is something that is a real goal of ours, and we think that AI will provide some great opportunities to do that.”
As Disney is an everlasting company with change, it’s interesting to see what direction they may head in next. As Cast Members, Imagineers, Animators, and so many other roles make up the magic of the company, fans can only hope that piece never changes, even with new technology.
What are your thoughts on AI?