The newly created Office of Technology Enablement will be headed by Jamie Voris, who led the development of Disney's application for the Apple Vision Pro mixed reality device, as indicated in an email reviewed by Reuters on Friday.
Alan Bergman, Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, stated, "The rapid advancements in AI and XR (extended reality) are significant and will continue to influence consumer experiences, creative projects, and our business operations for years ahead, making it essential for Disney to explore these exciting opportunities while managing potential risks."
He emphasized that the establishment of this group highlights the company's commitment to this endeavor.
Bergman mentioned that the unit will concentrate on rapidly evolving technological fields, such as AI and mixed reality, which integrate the physical and digital realms. Rather than centralizing efforts on these initiatives, it will ensure that various projects align with the company's overarching strategy.
Reuters initially reported that Disney had created a task force to examine artificial intelligence and its potential applications throughout the entertainment conglomerate.
Disney's various divisions are actively investigating the potential uses of augmented reality, which integrates digital components into the physical world, virtual reality, which fully immerses users in a simulated setting, and mixed reality, which merges both technologies.
The company is enhancing its capabilities across the organization to leverage this emerging technology.
For instance, Kyle Laughlin, a seasoned Disney professional with expertise in augmented and virtual reality as well as artificial intelligence, rejoined the company in March as the senior vice president of research and development for Walt Disney Imagineering, the creative entity responsible for Disney's theme park attractions. He had briefly departed Disney in 2019 to head Amazon's Alexa Gadgets division.
As Meta and Snap introduced a new line of lightweight glasses that offer consumers a stylish alternative to traditional VR headsets, Disney has been discreetly assembling a team dedicated to exploring how to effectively utilize this technology to create innovative experiences for both its theme parks and consumers' homes, according to sources.
According to data from market research firm IDC, tech companies have sold approximately 1.7 million AR/VR headsets this year. Meta remains the dominant player in the market, holding a 60.5% share, but is beginning to encounter competition from rivals such as Sony, Apple, and ByteDance.