Disney has identified its next big AI partner, this time teaming up with Adobe in a multi-year alliance to integrate custom generative AI models into its creative pipelines across its businesses, including tools that will turn hand-drawn sketches into fully rendered concept art.
Under the terms of the agreement, Adobe will be Disney’s official “AI innovation partner” and will give the company access to Firefly, Firefly Foundry, Premiere, Photoshop and dedicated engineering resources. Together, the companies will develop custom AI models trained on Disney IP to “generate commercially safe, production-ready results.”
According to the release, work is already underway, with Walt Disney Imagineering using Firefly Foundry to generate 2D concept art from human-made drawings and create IP-based graphics for its park development. Adobe will also work with Disney’s StudioLAB on experimental workflows and ESPN Edge on AI-powered sports content.
The partnership with Adobe is just the latest in a series of high-profile attempts by Disney to get ahead of the AI curve through partnerships with companies.
A year ago, Disney unveiled its most sweeping overhaul of Disney+ since the streamer’s launch, including a full adoption of generative AI tools for users. Then, in December, the company announced a billion-dollar investment in OpenAI, a deal that fell through when Sora was shut down and before any money changed hands.
Most recently, Disney hired former Character.AI CEO Karandeep Anand as its first chief technology officer and committed about $180 million to recruit employees from his former company, announcing another round of significant layoffs in a year largely defined by cuts across the company.
Although the financial terms of the deal with Adobe have not been made public, such a high-profile partnership once again shows where Disney’s priorities lie. Even as it cuts thousands of jobs, demands further cost cuts and commits billions of dollars to stock buybacks to benefit shareholders, the company continues to devote resources to AI technologies that could fundamentally change how creative work is produced and who is paid to do it.
Gn bussni
