The Walt Disney Company and Adobe have announced a multi-year strategic partnership to develop customised artificial intelligence tools aimed at transforming creative production across Disney's global entertainment businesses.
Unveiled on Monday, 9 November, at Adobe MAX, the agreement will bring Adobe's generative AI technology into Disney's film studios, theme parks, cruise operations and sports media platforms.
At the centre of the collaboration is Adobe Firefly Foundry, a platform that allows companies to develop proprietary AI models tailored to their intellectual property, creative styles and production requirements.
Disney plans to use the technology to generate production-ready visual concepts while maintaining greater control over its characters, environments and established franchises.
The partnership will initially focus on Disney Experiences, which oversees the company's theme parks, resorts and cruise operations, alongside StudioLAB, the innovation centre within Walt Disney Studios.
Walt Disney Imagineering has already begun using customised AI models to support theme park development. One tool converts hand-drawn sketches into rendered concept artwork, allowing design teams to explore multiple creative directions before committing to costly construction decisions.
Kyle Laughlin, Disney's senior vice president of research and development technology and engineering, told Reuters that the technology could shorten creative processes that previously required months into work completed within hours or days.
He emphasised that the tools are intended to accelerate creative development rather than replace Imagineering employees.
The agreement also extends to ESPN, where Adobe and Disney will explore how AI can improve sports storytelling, audience engagement and access to archived content.
Adobe will provide Disney with early access to selected creative technologies, including Firefly, Photoshop and Premiere, supported by dedicated engineering and research resources.
Beyond production technology, the partnership includes global marketing initiatives, industry events and collaborative storytelling projects.
The announcement comes as entertainment companies face growing pressure to adopt artificial intelligence while addressing concerns about copyright protection, creative employment and the commercial use of established intellectual property.
Disney and Adobe say their approach will prioritise artist-led development and proprietary models designed around authorised Disney content.
The arrangement could become an important example of how major studios deploy generative AI within controlled production environments rather than relying entirely on publicly available AI services.
For filmmakers, designers, advertising agencies and digital creators, the development highlights a growing shift towards specialised AI systems that combine automated production capabilities with established creative oversight.
The companies have not disclosed the financial terms of the agreement or a timetable for introducing every proposed capability.
