One of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said traditional media companies like Disney must embrace AI or risk obsolescence.
The tech-savvy source sees AI as a tool to help control the rising costs of film and television production, that they can reach the 300 million dollars for a great premiere. Budgets demand huge box office receipts simply to break even.
As for the parks business, the AI could improve customer service or create new interactions, according to the second source and a former Disney creative who did not want to be named because he was not authorized to speak publicly.
Bob Iger, in his second stint as Disney CEO, made technology adoption one of his top three priorities when he was first appointed in 2005.
Now the company insists that the technology is used to enhance digital effects, not replace human actors, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Its Medusa motion capture system has been used to reconstruct actors’ faces without resorting to traditional motion capture techniques, and this technology has been used in more than 40 films, including ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’, from Marvel Entertainment.
“‘The research on AI at Disney goes back a long time and revolves around all the things you see being discussed today: can we have something that helps us make movies, or games, or chatting robots inside theme parks? that people can talk to?’ said an executive who has worked with Disney.
With information from Reuters