At CES 2025, Disney revealed how it’s utilizing AI technology to disrupt the ad space at the company’s fifth annual Global Tech and Data Showcase.
The House of Mouse has been invested for over a decade in machine learning and AI audience segmentation, which it is now utilizing to establish itself as a serious player in the industry.
Last Wednesday, Disney SVP of Data and Measurement Science Dana McGraw announced the launch of the Disney Select AI Engine, which uses AI and machine learning to drive scale and audience expansion.
It does so by creating lookalike audiences and using sequential retargeting to expand reach in a way that doesn't impact frequency caps.
In a news release, McGraw highlighted how Disney is setting the pace and "accelerating the rate of innovation for all:"
"We have invested in machine learning and AI audience segmentation for over a decade to better understand behaviors across screens and bring new opportunities to life. With every new tool and capability we develop, we’re making adoption easier for our partners to have the most frictionless experience possible."
McGraw also pointed out that its new technologies are highly accurate.
The entertainment giant also showed off Disney Compass, a proprietary data platform that synthesizes insights, first-party data, and vendor integrations, streamlining the process of activating a campaign.
According to Disney, its partners have begun developing their own AI software. Leading the charge is Publicis, the first agency to integrate with Disney Compass.
Brands can now use the agency's CoreAI to gain data insights from three different databases: Publicis', Disney's, and their own. This lets them use automated solutions and efficiently reach the right audiences.
In a demo of CoreAI's audience creation capabilities, Disney showed how AI could create "always on-growth audiences" for real-time activation.
Integrating Disney Compass with tools like Publicis' CoreAI can enable advertising agencies to streamline campaigns, optimize targeting, and deliver real-time, personalized engagement.
Say the Magic Words
Disney is also bolstering its AI-powered Magic Words tool, which analyzes content and scenes from Disney’s library to create personalized messaging for audiences.
The newly improved Magic Words Live is capable of deciding the ideal ad to deliver at a specific moment, based on its messaging.
Essentially, it’s able to skip targeting broad demographics and hone in on specific audiences, utilizing real-time custom brand storytelling to emotionally resonate with an audience.
This technology is currently being tested with Magna Global, as well as in brand partnerships with Chipotle and T-Mobile.
Meanwhile, Amazon Ads and Comcast also announced their expanded data clean room and simplified TV ad buying, respectively, at CES 2025.
