Credit: Inside the MagicArtificial intelligence is becoming a bigger part of Disney’s business, and now includes how the company plans, builds, and operates its theme parks. While Disney has used advanced technology behind the scenes for years, executives are now speaking much more openly about how AI fits into the company’s future.
During Disney’s latest earnings call, The Walt Disney Company CEO, Josh D’Amaro, outlined several ways artificial intelligence is already being integrated into Walt Disney Imagineering and other areas of the parks division. His comments offered one of the clearest looks yet at how Disney intends to use AI as it continues working on major projects around the world.
For many Disney fans, the announcement is exciting. Others, however, see it as the beginning of a significant change for the creative teams responsible for some of the company’s most beloved attractions.
Disney’s J.A.R.V.I.S. AI System Is Already in Use
One of the biggest announcements centered on Disney’s internal AI platform, known as J.A.R.V.I.S. Rather than replacing Imagineers, the system is designed to serve as a massive knowledge library that puts decades of Disney history and experience at their fingertips within seconds for over 2,000 Imagineers.
According to Disney, the platform gives Imagineers access to more than 70 years of institutional knowledge. Earlier this year, over 2,000 Imagineers gained access to the system, enabling them to quickly search through past projects, technical information, attraction history, engineering solutions, and creative concepts developed throughout Disney’s history.
Disney is also using AI-powered digital twins and simulation technology during attraction development. These virtual models allow teams to test ride systems, evaluate designs, and identify potential problems.
That technology is already being used as Disney develops its upcoming theme park in Abu Dhabi, giving Imagineers another way to refine projects long before guests ever experience them.
Josh D’Amaro Explains AI’s Role at Disney
While some fans immediately worry that AI could replace human creativity, D’Amaro described a very different approach.
He explained that Disney views emerging technology as another opportunity to continue its long tradition of combining creativity with innovation. According to D’Amaro, Disney has spent decades developing artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities across multiple divisions, including Pixar, Industrial Light & Magic, Disney Research Studios, and Walt Disney Imagineering.
He stressed that AI is meant to support creative teams rather than replace them. Disney’s storytelling, he said, will continue to be led by artists and creators, with AI serving as another tool that helps bring ideas to life.
D’Amaro also confirmed that AI is already helping Disney Experiences design, build, and operate attractions. Beyond giving Imagineers access to decades of institutional knowledge through J.A.R.V.I.S., Disney is using AI-driven digital twins to test new attractions before they are built. Those same tools are helping with planning for the company’s new Abu Dhabi park.
Beyond attraction development, Disney is also using AI to improve vacation planning and to provide Cast Members with tools that help them better assist guests throughout the day.
What This Could Mean for Disney’s Biggest Expansion Projects
D’Amaro’s comments arrive as Disney is investing billions of dollars into new experiences across its parks.
At Walt Disney World alone, construction continues on Villains Land at Magic Kingdom, the new Piston Peak area, Monstropolis at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Tropical Americas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Elsewhere, Disney continues expanding Avengers Campus while moving forward with additional international projects.
Although Disney has not specified which projects are benefiting from J.A.R.V.I.S., the company has confirmed that AI-powered design tools are already being used for new attractions and future developments. That means many of Disney’s largest projects could benefit from faster testing, improved simulations, and quicker access to decades of Imagineering knowledge.
Supporters believe these tools could reduce costly mistakes while helping creative teams solve complex engineering challenges earlier in development.
Why Some Disney Fans Remain Concerned
Not everyone is celebrating Disney’s growing investment in artificial intelligence.
For many longtime fans, Imagineering has always represented original thinking, artistic vision, and the willingness to take creative risks. Some worry that increasing reliance on AI could eventually reduce that human touch.
Others question whether an AI system built on decades of existing ideas could unintentionally encourage designers to revisit familiar concepts rather than create entirely new experiences. Even if AI simply serves as a research assistant, critics wonder whether easy access to past projects could make it harder for fresh ideas to emerge naturally.
There are also broader concerns shared throughout the entertainment industry about how AI could influence creative jobs over time.
At the same time, D’Amaro’s comments emphasized that Disney still views people—not artificial intelligence—as the driving force behind storytelling. Based on what the company has shared, AI is being positioned as a creative assistant rather than the creative mind itself.
AI Is Expanding Beyond Imagineering
Imagineering isn’t the only part of Disney Experiences seeing changes.
Disney has also been using AI to simplify vacation planning. Recent improvements have streamlined parts of the booking process, made trip information easier to navigate inside the My Disney Experience app, and reduced some of the planning decisions guests previously had to make throughout the day. Disney has indicated that those changes have contributed to higher guest satisfaction and fewer reported planning frustrations.
The company is also equipping Cast Members with AI-assisted tools that can help them answer questions, locate information more quickly, and provide better support during a guest’s visit.
Combined with the work happening inside Imagineering, those initiatives show Disney is weaving artificial intelligence into multiple parts of the vacation experience rather than limiting it to attraction development.
The Future Will Still Depend on Disney’s Creators
Artificial intelligence is clearly becoming a larger part of Disney’s long-term strategy, and Josh D’Amaro’s latest comments confirm the technology is already influencing how new attractions and future park expansions are developed. From J.A.R.V.I.S. and AI-powered simulations to vacation planning tools and cast member support, Disney is embracing AI across much of its Experiences division.
Even so, the company’s biggest challenge may not be developing the technology itself. It will be convincing fans that the heart of Disney Imagineering remains rooted in the creativity, imagination, and storytelling that have defined the parks for generations. As Disney continues building ambitious new destinations around the world, many guests will be watching closely to see whether AI enhances that legacy—or changes it.
