Bob Iger Talks About AI Tech Saying Storytellers Need To "Embrace The Change" and Cites Walt Disney
As AI technology continues to quickly evolve, Hollywood Studios are starting to embrace and incorporate the technology into their businesses. There’s no stopping it, this is happening and it will take work away from real people.
Disney CEO Bob Iger believes that the use of AI in making movies is all but inevitable, and says that storytellers need to “embrace the change.” He also says that Walt Disney himself would have supported it.
During an interview with Variety, Iger discussed the benefits of the new technology, and said: “Walt Disney himself was a big believer in using technology in the early days to tell better stories. And he thought that technology in the hands of a great storyteller was unbelievably powerful.”
If they are so hell-bent on following Walt Disney’s beliefs, maybe they should also be following his unwavering stance against sequels.
Regardless, he does make a point as Disney was very interested in the future and future technology and it’s safe to assume that he would look into how AI could help in the filmmaking and storytelling process. He was all about innovation and pushing the boundaries of what technology could do.
The big issue isn’t about how storytellers can use AI, but it’s about the idea that AI could replace many storytellers entirely, which is certainly possible. AI could pump out scripts for films that are probably better than what some Hollywood studios are pumping out with human screenwriters.
In response to that, Iger said: “Don’t fixate on its ability to be disruptive — fixate on [tech’s] ability to make us better and tell better stories. Not only better stories, but to reach more people.”
That’s easy to say from a guy who made $31.6 million dollars last year. Iger also bluntly suggested that there really is no other option but to figure out how to make it work for the larger goal of enhancing the production of movies, TV shows, music and other content.
He said: “You’re never going to get in the way of it. There isn’t a generation of human beings that has ever been able to stand the way of technological advancement.”
He continued: “What we try to do is embrace the change that technology has created, and use it as the wind behind our backs instead of wind in our faces.”
This may be a hard truth for people to accept, but he’s right. The ball is rolling on AI and there is no stopping it, and it’s understandable to worry about what that means for jobs in the future. It certainly freaks me out!