Disney and Adobe announce multi-year partnership to develop custom generative AI for entertainment and sports
November 12, 2026 · 2 min read
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Disney and Adobe announced a multi-year strategic partnership on November 9 to jointly develop customized generative artificial intelligence models for Disney's businesses, including film and television production, theme park operations, cruise ship services, and ESPN sports content creation.
The collaboration centers on Adobe Firefly Foundry, a platform that differs from general-purpose generative AI tools available to the public. Under the agreement, Disney will receive priority access to Adobe's latest artificial intelligence technology and will work with Adobe to integrate generative AI into its own creative production workflows. The custom models will be trained on Disney's intellectual property, character designs, story settings, and visual styles, allowing the company to generate content that aligns with its brand identity and professional production standards.
Disney's Imagineering research division is already using Adobe Firefly to support theme park development work. The partnership will expand the application of Adobe technology across Disney's operations, including supporting Walt Disney Studios' creative workflows, exploring how AI can assist ESPN sports content production, and enhancing viewer engagement experiences. Generative AI may be used to help design theme park scenes and visual materials, accelerate visual content production in film and television, and develop graphics and audience-facing digital content for sports programming.
The partnership represents Disney's broader embrace of generative AI technology. The entertainment company has previously partnered with OpenAI and was involved in matters related to the bankruptcy of artificial intelligence character platform Character.AI. Disney is pursuing collaborations with multiple AI companies to integrate generative technology into its extensive content and entertainment operations.
The timing of the partnership comes as Disney faces pressure to control costs and adjust its workforce. Reports indicate Disney is preparing to reduce thousands of employees and plans to achieve approximately 20 percent annual cost savings. The collaboration transforms generative AI from a general content generation tool into specialized professional production infrastructure tailored to Disney's needs, potentially offering greater appeal than generic models for entertainment companies with substantial intellectual property portfolios and established creative production systems.