Credit: UniversalIn this day and age, opinions on AI are pretty mixed – especially in creative industries, where the overarching fear is that artificial intelligence will one day take our jobs.
When it comes to theme parks, this fear is still pretty relevant. In recent years, we’ve seen the likes of The Walt Disney Company explore the ways in which it can integrate artificial intelligence into all areas of its business, including its theme parks.
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And it’s not the only one. This week, news emerged that Universal Destinations & Experiences – the division of Universal responsible for its theme parks in California, Florida, and beyond – has filed for a new patent that could see AI take on an even more active role in theme park operations. (Yes, really).
What Is the New Patent Filed by Universal Destinations & Experiences?
As per Orlando Business Journal, the patent in question is titled “System and Method for Controlling Operation of a Ride System Based on Gestures.” This technology would give a camera the ability to interpret a ride operator’s gestures to begin, stop, or pause an attraction.
The idea is that this technology could reduce “overstaffing and inefficiencies by requiring additional employees to perform other operational tasks, e.g., ensuring riders are properly seated and restrained in a ride vehicle, while still maintaining an operator at the console.”
Delving further into the technical side of things, the technology would use a “vision system” and “convolutional neural network” to interpret a ride operator’s movements and actions.
In other words, yes – AI could essentially hold the reins of a roller coaster’s loading process. We’re not too sure how we feel about that.
Could AI Replace Human Employees at Theme Parks?
In theory… Potentially. Name one theme park that isn’t looking to cut costs at any given point. But we wouldn’t worry too much at this point in time, so don’t worry that you’ll find robots controlling the attractions at Epic Universe when it opens in 2025.
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It’s important to remember that theme parks, Universal included, file new patents constantly. Only recently, Universal filed a separate patent for a new ride system that would allow guests to control their own ride experience. But these patents don’t always come to fruition within the parks themselves.
When it comes to AI, fully implementing this system into theme parks would require a huge amount of trust. Will there be a point where Universal can implicitly trust computers more than actual human workers? Perhaps. But that sounds a lot like blue sky thinking for now.
How Else Is the Theme Park Industry Using AI?
More Robots (In a Fun Way)
This isn’t the first instance of a theme park experimenting with AI (and it certainly won’t be the last). Disney has experimented with plenty of ways to use AI to improve each guest’s experience.
As per Disney CEO Bob Iger, this is what Walt Disney himself would have wanted. “Walt Disney himself was a big believer in using technology in the early days to tell better stories,” he said at the Canva Create showcase in May. “And he thought that technology in the hands of a great storyteller was unbelievably powerful.”
In 2023, Walt Disney Imagineering teased an AI-powered robot designed to look like the iconic Guardians of the Galaxy character Groot. This engages with theme park guests via advanced sensors and AI algorithms, allowing it to respond to and learn from the “facial landmarks” of its audience.
NEW: Disney shared new video of the Baby Groot free-roaming robot play test at Disneyland Resort.
Disney: “There are no immediate plans for use in Disney theme parks; however, a prototype in the form of Groot is being used to test unique traits, gaits and capabilities.”
NEW: Disney shared new video of the Baby Groot free-roaming robot play test at Disneyland Resort.
Disney: "There are no immediate plans for use in Disney theme parks; however, a prototype in the form of Groot is being used to test unique traits, gaits and capabilities." https://t.co/r1QiKHVWMb pic.twitter.com/keUXe3uBzf
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) June 8, 2023
Disney has also dabbled in AI for the design of its BD-X droids, which make sporadic appearances at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Resort. These run off Nvidia chipsets and boast a limited amount of environmental self-awareness, thanks to a form of artificial intelligence known as reinforced learning. This allows them to adapt to different floors so they can problem-solve while walking.
Wait Times and Parking
Meanwhile, Six Flags (which recently merged with Cedar Fair to create the largest theme park group in North America) launched what it dubbed “the largest digital alliance in the theme park industry” to personalize the visitor experience earlier this year.
“Our guests are at the heart of everything we do, and this digital transformation is a testament to our commitment to providing unparalleled experiences where technology meets fun and excitement,” said Selim Bassoul, then-CEO and now executive chairman of Six Flags. “AI allows us to enrich and personalize every guest touchpoint.”
These plans include a new digital concierge powered by generative AI, available via the Six Flags app and website. Known as Missi Six, this will be able to answer user questions when it launches later this year.
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Its parks will also use new sensors that generate more accurate wait times for rides, as well as a new parking system that combines computer vision and AI to recognize license plates.
Improved Guest Safety
Six Flags has also shared plans to introduce “the world’s most comprehensive AI drowning prevention system” at its water parks. This software would work by identifying when someone appears to be in distress and alerting lifeguards, which would improve the ability to monitor guest safety between lifeguard posts. Smart.
Merchandise
There’s been plenty of controversy over Disney’s purported use of AI for merchandise designs. In January, a TikToker pointed out that it seemed like Disney had used AI to come up with the design of a Fantasyland t-shirt, with the graphic in question seemingly combining elements from various locations. “It’s no-one’s Fantasyland,” @TheDapperDanielle said in the now-deleted video. “It’s a combination of multiple Fantasyland references.”
How do you feel about the increasing use of AI in theme parks?