At Adobe’s MAX conference on November 9, 2026, Disney announced a multi‑year alliance with Adobe to build proprietary generative‑AI models. Adobe will give Disney early access to its Firefly and Firefly Foundry platforms, which create images, video and text from prompts. The tools will be customized with Disney’s own character data, visual styles and world knowledge so that the output is safe for commercial use and ready for production.
How the AI will be used
Disney Imagineering’s R&D team will use a sketch‑to‑image model to turn hand‑drawn ideas into full‑color concept art for new rides and cruise experiences. In the parks, the AI can quickly generate on‑brand graphics for signage, merchandise and immersive environments. ESPN’s Edge Innovation Center will explore ways to remix archive footage and create data‑driven visual stories that keep sports fans engaged. At Walt Disney Studios, the models will assist animators and designers by producing draft assets that can be refined by human artists, shortening the time from idea to screen.
Why this matters now
Both companies have a long history of working together—Adobe tools already support Disney’s marketing, video editing and visual effects pipelines. The new alliance builds on that foundation by adding AI as an “accelerant” for creative work, something Disney is pursuing after recent cost‑saving initiatives that include multiple rounds of layoffs. By training the models on Disney‑specific data, the companies aim to avoid the copyright and brand‑consistency issues that have plagued other generative‑AI projects.
Why it matters
For Disney creators, the AI tools promise faster prototyping and fewer repetitive tasks, letting artists focus on storytelling. For guests, the technology could speed up the rollout of new rides, shows and personalized experiences. It remains to be seen how the models will handle brand‑sensitive content and whether they will reduce the need for larger creative teams.
