Disney names Adobe official AI Innovation Partner in multi-year deal
Adobe will supply Firefly, Firefly Foundry, Premiere and Photoshop, and the two firms will build custom models trained on Disney IP.
Disney and Adobe announced on November 9, 2026 a multi-year partnership that makes Adobe Disney's official "AI Innovation Partner" and brings customised generative AI models into Disney's creative pipelines. Financial terms of the deal were not made public.
Under the agreement, Adobe will give Disney access to Firefly, Firefly Foundry, Premiere and Photoshop, along with dedicated engineering resources. The companies said they will jointly develop bespoke AI models trained on Disney IP to produce what they describe as commercially safe, production-ready outputs.
Some of that work is already under way. Walt Disney Imagineering is using Firefly Foundry to generate 2D concept art from human-made drawings and to create IP-based graphics for parks development, according to cartoonbrew.com.
Adobe will also work with Disney's StudioLAB on experimental production workflows and with ESPN Edge on AI-powered sports content.
Leadership changes around the deal
The partnership lands as Disney reshapes its technology ranks. The company hired former Character.AI CEO Karandeep Anand as its first chief technology officer and committed roughly $180 million to recruiting employees from his former company, alongside another major round of layoffs.
Earlier, a year before the announcement, Disney unveiled its biggest overhaul of Disney+ since launch, including generative AI tools for users. It also announced a $1 billion investment in OpenAI in December, a deal that collapsed when Sora was shut down before any money changed hands.
Quick answers
What does the Disney and Adobe partnership cover?
Adobe becomes Disney's official AI Innovation Partner, supplying Firefly, Firefly Foundry, Premiere and Photoshop plus engineering resources, and the two firms will jointly build custom AI models trained on Disney IP.
How much did the Disney-Adobe deal cost?
Financial terms were not made public.
Is Disney already using Adobe's AI tools?
Yes. Walt Disney Imagineering is using Firefly Foundry to generate 2D concept art from human-made drawings and to create IP-based graphics for parks development.