Disney's AI gamble is riskier than you think. For as long as there has been technology, there have been attempts to let ordinary people shape stories with it. The Sumerian Game, Facade, and Interlude were early examples of this, allowing users to make choices and alter characters. Now, Disney is taking a more subversive approach with its new AI models, trained on millions of pieces of media. Anyone can initiate a take on a story, in any direction, without the boundaries set by credentialed programmers. This marks a seismic moment in the entertainment industry. Disney's CEO, Bob Iger, announced that the company will bring generative AI to Disney+ for subscribers to use, presumably in movies and TV shows. This move signals that Disney won't make the same mistake twice, becoming the first major entertainment firm to go all in on AI personalization. The company's lawsuit with Midjourney suggests that it's not about controlling the AI, but rather embracing its potential. While the clips are mostly shortform, the technology is still evolving, and the videos will likely get longer as it improves. This move has a certain irony, as Disney previously invested heavily in original content for its streaming service. The consequences of this AI video moment go beyond Disney, as AI companies are conditioning us to think of stories and personalities as more malleable. However, studios face a challenge: altering established narratives can feel icky or uninteresting. Disney's challenge is how to port this mindset to established properties without undermining artistic originality. The full appetite for AI remains to be seen, and it's unclear how people will use it. Will we create new endings, alternate scenes, or entirely new story content? Or will we head to a world of quick memes and personal adornment? It's a risky gamble, and cautionaries like to cite Jeff Goldblum's famous line, 'Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.' The story of Disney's AI gamble is still unfolding, and the consequences remain to be seen.
