Disney and Adobe sign multi-year deal to build private generative AI models on Disney IP
Announced on 9 November 2026 at Adobe MAX, the alliance makes Adobe an official AI innovation partner of Disney; the companies will build proprietary Firefly Foundry models trained on Disney characters and styles for theme parks, studios and ESPN.
The Walt Disney Company and Adobe announced a multi-year strategic alliance on 9 November 2026 at the Adobe MAX conference. Adobe becomes Disney’s “Official AI Innovation Partner” and will give Disney early access to Firefly, Firefly Foundry, Premiere and Photoshop, plus dedicated engineering and research staff.
Custom models on Disney IP
Through Firefly Foundry, the two companies will build generative AI models tailored to Disney properties — trained on character attributes, environments and visual styles. Adobe describes them as “artist-led” and says they should produce commercially safe, production-ready output. Reuters reports the models will be private and proprietary to Disney.
Where it starts
- Walt Disney Imagineering R&D already uses a sketch-to-image model that turns hand-drawn concepts into rendered 2D concept art, plus a custom image model for on-brand assets for theme-park design.
- At StudioLAB, Walt Disney Studios’ innovation hub, initial projects focus on custom models for post-production and visual effects.
- At ESPN, Reuters says, AI tools will be used to engage sports fans and bring more of ESPN’s archive to audiences.
The deal also includes joint marketing across Disney’s parks, cruise line and media platforms. Financial terms were not disclosed in the announcements.
Why it matters
Major studios have been cautious about generative AI amid copyright disputes and artists’ concerns. Training private models only on a studio’s own catalog is one approach companies are taking to limit those legal risks.
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