Disney and Adobe are building custom generative AI models for parks and ESPN

Walt Disney $DIS -0.26% and Adobe $ADBE -0.83% are working together to build special generative AI models for Disney's theme parks, movie and TV studios, and ESPN. The companies announced a partnership that will last several years on Monday at Adobe MAX in Miami Beach, Florida.

Adobe said it will be Disney's Official AI Innovation Partner. This means Disney will get early access to Adobe's AI, creative and media tools. These include Adobe Firefly, Adobe Firefly Foundry, Adobe Premiere and Adobe Photoshop. Adobe will also provide special engineering and research support for Disney's production work.

Adobe said Disney will work with it through Firefly Foundry to build private generative AI systems based on Disney's own characters and other creative properties. These models will learn about the characters, settings and visual styles. This will help them create content that is safe to use in commercial projects and ready for professional production.

Adobe said Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development has already used Firefly Foundry to develop theme parks. Its tools include a model that turns artists' hand-drawn sketches into 2D concept art. Another custom image model creates pictures and other materials that closely match Disney's characters and creative worlds.

According to Reuters, the first goal is to make projects in Disney's Experiences division take less time. The partnership will also support early design work at StudioLAB, Walt Disney Studios' team for exploring new ideas and technology.

"We talk about the time frames in our projects in years — it's years' worth of development. And what Adobe Foundry has allowed us to do is compress the creative process that would have taken months to now being able to do that in hours and days," Kyle Laughlin, Disney's senior vice president of R&D technology and engineering, told Reuters. In other words, he said the tools can turn creative work that once took months into work that takes hours or days.

Laughlin said the tools will help Disney avoid costly changes at construction sites after work on theme park attractions and experiences has started. He also said the tools are "in no way meant to replace" jobs at Imagineering, according to Reuters.

Adobe will also become an Innovation Partner at StudioLAB. There, it will work with Disney's creative teams and technology experts to explore ways to improve their work. At ESPN Edge, the sports network's innovation center, ESPN and Adobe will look at how AI can help connect with sports fans and make ESPN's archive of past content more useful and engaging.

The partnership also includes marketing activities, industry events and customer stories connected to Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, Disney Cruise Line, ESPN Edge and StudioLAB. Adobe will have a larger presence across Disney's media platforms. Adobe said joint projects with StudioLAB and ESPN Edge are already underway, with more activities planned during the partnership.

"Today's announcement marks the next chapter of the relationship," Hannah Elsakr, Adobe's vice president of GenAI New Business Ventures, said in a statement.

Becca Vodnoy, Disney's senior vice president of Corporate Alliances, said in a statement that the partnership gives Disney's creative teams "new ways to explore and develop their ideas."