Jeffrey Katzenberg, the former Disney animation chief and DreamWorks Animation co-founder, told TheWrap's Sharon Waxman he intends to launch either a studio or a digital platform making animated features and series with generative AI. The interview came just after he posted an essay on X urging Hollywood to embrace the technology.
He says AI output looked like slop to him until the last couple of months, and that lower costs will mean more films, more jobs and new kinds of storytelling. His plan is to pair leading filmmakers with AI resources at the top end first, with the tools later reaching prosumers and consumers. Talent, he said, is the hard part.
He praised Disney's technology push under CEO Josh D'Amaro but argued real breakthroughs come from outside incumbents, recalling internal resistance to making Toy Story.
TheWrap also notes his record of early bets that did not land, including 3D filmmaking and Quibi, which raised $1.75 billion and fizzled within six months.
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