Disney Launches Group to Coordinate Company’s Use of AI
By Movieguide® Contributor
Disney is establishing a group to coordinate the company’s use of AI technology as it looks to the future.
“The pace and scope of the advances in AI and XR (extended reality) are profound and will continue to impact consumer experiences, creative endeavors and our businesses for years to come – making it critical that Disney explore the exciting opportunities and navigate the potential risks,” Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Alan Bergman wrote, per Reuters. “The creation of this group underscores our dedication to doing that.”
The new office, named the Office of Technology Enablement, is set to be led by Jamie Voris, who previously helmed the development of Disney’s apps for the Apple Vision Pro.
While the use of AI has been a controversial topic since last year’s dual strikes in Hollywood, many studios have gone forward with developing tools for the technology. Meanwhile, many creatives in the industry continue to express their concerns over how the use of AI will impact industry jobs in the future.
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Disney’s AI task force, however, highlights just how varied the role this technology may play, as the group is expected to consider implementing AI in more than just content production. The tech is likely to be implemented in some form within the company’s theme park business and ad business as well.
While the move to implement AI has been criticized, Disney CEO, Bob Iger, believes being at the cutting edge of technology is at the core of his company.
“Walt Disney himself was a big believer in using technology in the early days to tell better stories. And he thought that technology in the hands of a great storyteller was unbelievably powerful…Don’t fixate on its ability to be disruptive — fixate on [tech’s] ability to make us better and tell better stories. Not only better stories, but to reach more people,” Iger said.
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