In the current landscape, where modern technology seems to be the perfect movie villain, Disney is reportedly planning on announcing a new initiative to utilize AI as a major resource in producing films and TV shows. While Disney already uses AI, this new initiative looks to expand the technology’s use to more production areas.
The Wrap reports that Disney’s announcement is imminent and suggests the company is “uniquely poised to integrate AI,” not only in its film and television departments but also in its theme parks and streaming services.
While Disney is far from the first to embrace AI, a studio of this size announcing such an initiative is sure to make waves. The artistic community won’t likely accept this quietly either, especially if it means that Disney will be laying off human creatives. In 2023, the company laid off 7,000 of its employees, and while reasons varied, many were quick to point out Disney’s previous use of the controversial technology. The report indicates that this initiative would involve “hundreds” of people already working in the company.
Per The Wrap, Bob Iger, Disney’s current CEO, is embracing the use of technology, and he even compared his progressive vision to that of Walt Disney when technology became a huge part of Disney’s entertainment catalog (especially in theme parks). Per Iger’s remarks at the Canva Create event earlier this year:
“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.
You’re never going to get in the way of it. There isn’t a generation of human beings that has ever been able to stand in the way of technological advancement. What we try to do is embrace the change that technology has created and use it as the wind behind our backs instead of wind in our faces.”
The Backlash of Using AI in Film and Television
At this point, everyone seems to have tried AI to produce content to varying results. The growing concern, however, is that major entertainment companies will want to save a few bucks by utilizing a computer program instead of creatives. Even though viewers often notice and complain, it seems as though the rise of AI in entertainment is inevitable. Several notable television series and movies have been criticized for using AI in the past couple of years alone.
Disney productions have incorporated AI before, and the results have varied. We haven’t seen anything more ambitious than a few shots, experimental animation, or de-aging. But still, if Disney decides to go full AI, chances are we’ll see the entertainment industry undergo a significant change.
Frustratingly enough, it still feels as though AI is underdeveloped. To this point, the use of AI in film and television appears pretty noticeable to many viewers. Not to mention, the use of AI is typically met with backlash from fans and creative professionals alike. What this imminent announcement from Disney entails remains to be seen, but at this point, it is hard to picture it being embraced by either fans or creatives.