Adobe, Disney Partner on Custom AI Models

The multi-year deal lets Disney build generative AI models trained on its internal assets, with outputs kept private and owned by Disney.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence

Adobe, Disney Partner on Custom AI Models

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Adobe and Disney signed a multi-year partnership to co-develop custom generative AI models. The models will be trained exclusively on Disney's internal assets and run on Adobe's Firefly Foundry platform.

Why it matters

The arrangement shows how large media companies are moving toward proprietary AI tools built on their own archives rather than general-purpose models. Neither company disclosed the financial terms of the deal.

The toolkit includes custom image generation, sketch-to-image conversion, and 2D-to-3D prototyping, running on Adobe's Firefly Foundry platform. The models are trained exclusively on Disney's internal assets, and the source does not report performance benchmarks or training scale.

The players

Adobe

Adobe is a major software company known for its creative tools, including the Firefly generative AI family used to power the partnership's models.

Walt Disney Imagineering

Walt Disney Imagineering is the research and development arm of The Walt Disney Company responsible for designing theme parks and resort attractions.

The details

Disney Experiences will use the models to speed up project development, with tools supporting concept work at StudioLAB, the studio's innovation group. ESPN is also part of the deal, focused on fan engagement and access to its archives.

June 16, 2026: Adobe and Walt Disney Imagineering deployed two AI models for theme park concept development.
November 9, 2026: Adobe and Disney announced the multi-year custom AI model partnership.

Tech Race

The deal extends Adobe's Firefly generative AI family into Firefly Foundry, a version aimed at companies seeking tailored models rather than one-size-fits-all tools. Replicating the Imagineering results across studios, cruises, resorts, and a sports network is described as a much bigger undertaking.

The partnership affects Disney Experiences project development and StudioLAB concept work, but the source does not describe changes to products, prices, or access for consumers. Its practical effect on guests and viewers is not stated.

The takeaway

Companies are increasingly training AI on their own proprietary archives to keep outputs private and owned. Watch whether this model extends beyond theme parks to Disney's studios and ESPN, as the source notes that replicating the results across the broader company is a much bigger undertaking.