Blackwells Capital has launched TheFutureOfDisney.com and shared a video explaining why shareholders should elect their nominees to The Walt Disney Company Board of Directors. In the video and a letter to shareholders, Blackwells outlines how they believe Disney should be using artificial intelligence and similar technology.
Blackwells Suggests Disney Utilize AI for Characters and Theme Parks
The video (below) features Jason Aintabi, Blackwells’ Chief Investment Officer, who states, “Disney will never be valued as a technology company so long as it does not think like a technology company.”
Blackwells believes their nominee Leah Solivan, founder and CEO of TaskRabbit and former IBM Corp. engineer, would bring necessary technological expertise to the Disney Board.
Ms. Solivan believes that Disney must reimagineer itself by creating an office of the Chief Technology Officer that would have all Disney divisions report into. That will enable Disney to build out a native technology stack that underpins all efforts of the corporation.
Jason Aintabi
The technology stack in the video suggests “new” AI technology like ChatGPT with Disney characters and AI assistants to navigate park visits, crowd control, and reserve rides. Disney already has similar technology incorporated into the Hey Disney! device in Walt Disney World hotel rooms. They also previously tested a virtual assistant in the My Disney Experience app.
Blackwells also suggests Disney take further advantage of VR and AR technology.
Disney has arguably the greatest opportunity set of any media company in the world as it pertains to AR/VR given its breadth of media content. Imagine a Disney World where you could have a lightsaber spar with a Jedi on Tatooine, or team-up with Simba and traverse the African plains!
Blackwells’ other two nominees are Jessica Schell (content, media, and entertainment expert) and Craig Hatkoff (governance, risk management, and capital allocation expert).
Aintabi also used the video to once again urge shareholders to not vote for Trian’s nominees, Nelson Peltz and Jay Rasulo.
Disney CEO Bob Iger also recently released a video telling shareholders not to vote for either Blackwells’ or Trian’s nominees.
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