Walt Disney, a leading global entertainment conglomerate, has initiated efforts to harness the capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI). As AI’s potential influence grows in Hollywood, it raises questions about its implications for the industry’s workforce and its broader applications within the company.
Disney’s AI Task Force
Launched prior to the Hollywood writers’ strike, Disney’s task force aims to not only develop AI technologies internally but also to collaborate with innovative startups. This dedication to AI is evident as Disney presently advertises 11 job roles specific to AI and machine learning.
Broadening AI Applications
These AI-focused roles span various divisions within Disney, from Walt Disney Studios to theme parks and the prominent engineering group, Walt Disney Imagineering. The advertising team, for instance, envisions a future AI-driven ad system, highlighting the company’s commitment to integrating AI technology across its operations.
However, Disney remains tight-lipped about its AI initiatives. One inside supporter of AI, preferring to remain anonymous, emphasized the urgency for legacy media businesses to adopt AI or face potential obsolescence.
Tackling Rising Production Costs
In the cinematic universe, where the production costs of blockbusters like “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” can escalate to a staggering $300 million, AI offers avenues for cost reduction, ensuring financial viability for these projects.
AI in Theme Parks
Beyond the big screen, AI holds transformative potential for Disney’s park business. It can revolutionize customer support and introduce groundbreaking interactions, as alluded to by a former Disney Imagineer. Case in point: Project Kiwi. This venture leveraged machine learning to birth Baby Groot, a robot inspired by the “Guardians of the Galaxy” character, which can potentially interact with park visitors in the future.
Hollywood’s AI Dilemma
While Disney navigates AI’s promising frontier, its growing presence stirs tension within Hollywood’s creative community. Both the Screen Actors Guild and the Writers Guild of America, currently on strike, perceive AI as a looming job threat. Despite the technological shift, Disney emphasizes the irreplaceable value of human artistry, as evident in the recent “Indiana Jones” film.
Embracing Innovation: Disney’s Legacy
Disney’s tryst with innovation is deep-rooted. From the pioneering “Steamboat Willie” in 1928 to holding over 4,000 patents today, technological evolution remains at its core. CEO Bob Iger, under his leadership, has emphasized technology’s pivotal role, fostering collaborations with prestigious global institutions like the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and Carnegie Mellon University.
Pushing AI Boundaries
Disney’s research endeavors span from mixed-reality experiences like “Magic Bench” to creating “digital humans” that blur the lines between reality and fantasy. The Medusa performance capture system, for instance, has graced over 40 films, such as “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”.
Hao Li, a veteran in AI-driven virtual avatars and ex-research lead at Disney’s Industrial Light & Magic, recognizes the company’s extensive work in human performance capture and digital face creation. Reflecting this innovation, Disney Imagineering introduced an AI-driven character, D3-09 cabin droid, in the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser hotel last year.
Disney’s AI journey, intertwined with its legacy of innovation, forecasts a transformative future for the entertainment industry. As the company pushes the boundaries of what’s possible with AI, it remains to be seen how these advancements will redefine entertainment and beyond.
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