Credit: Inside the MagicThe entertainment industry may be in turmoil over the future of AI technology, but the Walt Disney Company is doubling down on artificial intelligence anyway.
Although the advantages and risks of artificial intelligence in producing content have been debated for years, things came to an unprecedented head in 2023. Both the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) went on strike, grinding Hollywood to a halt and shutting down innumerable television and movie productions. Among their many demands were protections from artificial intelligence replacing writers and actors to save studios money.
The strikes eventually ended, though not without powerful executives like Bob Iger and David Zaslav becoming notorious for blaming writers and actors for wanting to be compensated for their work, it turns out that studios have by no means paused their quest to maximize the use of artificial intelligence to imitate voices, design characters, and create whole new landscapes and sets.
Related: Congress Sides with Hollywood, Bans Artificial Intelligence
The Walt Disney Company has announced five new companies joining its Disney Accelerator Program, which it promotes as “a business development program designed to accelerate the growth of innovative companies from around the world.” Unsurprisingly, the majority of those companies being sponsored by Disney are focused on AI technology.
A press release from Disney lists the companies:
AudioShake: AudioShake is an audio technology company that uses AI to separate the layers of recorded sound in order to make audio interactive, editable, and customizable.
ElevenLabs: ElevenLabs is a voice AI research and deployment company that creates realistic, versatile, and contextually aware AI audio.
Nuro: Nuro is an autonomous vehicle company that builds custom, electric, zero-occupant vehicles for the delivery of goods.
PrometheanAI: PrometheanAI is a company that provides a suite of tools for virtual world creation and digital asset management using natural language prompts.
StatusPro: StatusPro is an immersive entertainment company that leverages virtual and augmented reality to create first-person sports gaming experiences.
Although Disney CEO Bob Iger has made a lot of public statements about valuing ingenuity and its creators, it seems clear that AI art is a primary focus for the company. If it were not, three out of five of the companies in the Disney Accelerator class of 2024 would likely not have made it their focus.
Noticeably, two of the companies, AudioShake and ElevenLabs are described as being involved in using AI in sound and voice development. In particular, voice actors have been vocal about studios using auto-generated dialogue in place of human actors in an increasing number of projects, leading to lost human jobs and (arguably) subpar content.
Related: Could Artificial Intelligence Replace Beloved Disney Characters Soon?
Disney Accelerator GM Bonnie Rosen said in a statement:
“Disney has always been a leader in innovation, understanding and embracing technological shifts to enhance experiences and bring timeless stories to life. The Disney Accelerator allows us to continue this legacy of innovation and the responsible use of technology in service of storytelling. As we kick off the 10th year of the program, we are joined by leading companies that share our belief in the unmatched power of human creativity and imagination, exploring new ways to bring Disney magic to fans everywhere.”
Rosen emphasized “human creativity and imagination,” but the program itself is working to develop artificial intelligence. Perhaps someone at Disney can see a contradiction there.
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