Walt Disney Creates New Division To Harness AI And Augmented Reality

·Nov 4, 2024·

4 min read

Walt Disney Creates New Division To Harness AI And Augmented Reality

Walt Disney Company recently announced the development of a new division. This new division is directed toward exploiting the potentiality of artificial intelligence and augmented reality technologies. This strategy reflects Disney's commitment to staying ahead of the pack in technological innovation in the entertainment industry. The newly established Office of Technology Enablement is responsible for the integration and use of these emerging technologies throughout Disney's film, television and theme park units.

Formation of the Office of Technology Enablement

This will be led by Jamie Voris, who was instrumental in the development of Disney's app for the Apple Vision Pro mixed reality device. According to an internal memo by Alan Bergman, Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment this unit represents an effort by Disney to focus on exciting opportunities from AI and extended reality while at the same time facing possible risks in these technologies.

According to Bergman, "the pace and scope of the advances in AI and XR are profound and will continue to impact consumer experiences, creative endeavors, and our businesses for years to come." It underlines a kind of sense of urgency through which Disney needs to understand the impact of technologies to change how audiences relate with content and how brands reach them.

Objectives and Strategies

The aim of the office of technology enablement is not consolidation into one roof all AI and AR projects but to make sure that all these projects are in alignment with Disney's strategic objectives. The offices will thus have different parts of Disney work on different applications of AI and AR but aligned within a consistent vision for the future.

Disney has been preparing for this for years. The company brought together teams of specialized people testing out the AR, VR and mixed reality technologies. For example, Kyle Laughlin has returned to Disney as its Senior Vice President of Research and Development for Walt Disney Imagineering after working outside the company for nearly eight years that was since March of last year and further established Disney's commitment in those areas.

Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality

Disney's augmented reality is about bringing the digital world into real worlds, thereby making experiences so immersive that storytelling becomes an absolute delight. Mixed reality brings the physical and digital worlds together and allows the users to interact with both at the same time. These technologies have immense applications in theme parks where the attractions can be converted into interactive experiences involving visitors at different levels.

A trend that Disney is monitoring relates to market trends of AR/VR technology. A latest report from market research firm IDC shows that there were about 1.7 million AR/VR headsets sold this year only. Currently, Meta holds a significant share in the current market, but there is a challenge from the players like Sony, Apple, and ByteDance that are now entering into competition. This competitive space could be a good ground for Disney to use its capabilities in storytelling with modern AR/VR technology.

Potential Use Cases In Entertainment

Besides the theme parks, implications of the new division are widespread across several aspects of Disney's entertainment services. Some include:

Film Production

The production processes can be smoothed with more efficient visual effects, script analysis, and audience engagement metrics through AI. Disney filmmakers could use AI-enabled tools to understand the viewers' tastes and deliver their content as per their desires.

Television Programming

AI analytics can help in finding patterns in viewer behavior and will allow Disney to produce better television content that people find interesting.

Add AR to a theme park attraction, and the entire experience for visitors could change. You can envision walking through an amusement park where various characters relate to and interact with guests via mobile devices or AR glasses to create highly individualized adventures.

Addressing the Risks of AI

While the benefits of AI and AR are immense, Disney is also aware of the risks associated with embracing these technologies. Disney has to address issues concerning data privacy, misinformation, and ethical implications as it creates new applications. The Office of Technology Enablement will be key in ensuring that Disney addresses the challenges responsibly. According to Bergman in the memo, "Disney is dedicated to pursuing these exciting opportunities in a manner that is cautious of any pitfalls”.

Conclusion

This will mark a milestone in the steps that Walt Disney takes towards embracing the latest emerging technologies including AI and augmented reality, as the company sets up its Office of Technology Enablement. This strategic reorganization will help Disney enhance consumer experience for all of its entertainment products in a way that is risk sensitive.

As technology is evolving at breakneck speeds, Disney proactively takes its position on the top to lead with innovative solutions within the entertainment industry. This commitment from the company towards harnessing AI and AR reflects not just its creativity but also points to a broader trend of entertainment giants adapting to stay alive in a world rapidly becoming digital.

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