Disney Imagineering partners with Adobe on AI design tools

Walt Disney Imagineering has partnered with Adobe to develop custom artificial intelligence tools aimed at accelerating the design and development of theme park attractions, hotels, and cruise ship experiences. The collaboration, announced this week, will see Imagineers using Adobe's Firefly Foundry platform to create proprietary generative AI models trained on Disney's own design catalog and character assets.

The initiative is designed to streamline the creative pipeline from initial concept to final construction. Specific tools include a sketch-to-image workflow that converts hand-drawn art into fully rendered 2D concept art, allowing designers to quickly explore multiple creative directions. Another is a custom image model that generates franchise-accurate depictions of characters from properties such as Mickey & Friends, Frozen, Moana, Lilo & Stitch, and Cars. The platform also features 3D modeling capabilities that can transform 2D renderings into detailed prototypes for engineering and planning.

"At Imagineering, we've always believed technology and human creativity can work together responsibly," said Kyle Laughlin, senior vice president of R&D, technology and engineering...