Disney is partnering with technology leaders Nvidia and Google DeepMind to revolutionize entertainment robots by leveraging advanced AI capabilities. Announced during Nvidia’s recent GTC 2025 conference, this collaboration will significantly enhance the expressiveness, adaptability, and realism of Disney’s future robotic characters.
At the core of this partnership is “Newton,” an innovative open-source framework designed by Nvidia and Google DeepMind. Built on Nvidia’s Warp platform, Newton allows robotic systems to simulate and interact precisely with a wide variety of real-world materials, including cloth, sand, and textiles. Integration of Google’s AI research powerhouse, DeepMind, adds advanced machine learning capabilities to enable robots to exhibit more human-like interactions and nuanced emotional expressions.
One prominent demonstration featured at Nvidia’s conference was a Star Wars-inspired droid interacting effortlessly with CEO Jensen Huang, effectively showcasing the lifelike responsiveness made possible by the Newton platform. According to Kyle Roche, General Manager at Nvidia, this technology represents a significant leap forward in creating believable robotic experiences, providing Disney with enhanced capabilities to produce interactive entertainment and theme park attractions.
The initiative aligns with Disney’s broader vision of immersive storytelling, aiming to provide more engaging and interactive experiences to audiences around the world. Kyle Roche emphasized that Newton will eventually be available for developers globally, enabling further innovation within robotics and AI communities.
Industry experts predict this collaboration could set new standards for robotic interactivity, influencing not only theme parks and entertainment but also broader applications in hospitality, education, and personal robotics. By merging cutting-edge AI research with Disney’s storytelling capabilities, the initiative signals a transformative moment for human-robot interaction.
As Nvidia prepares to release the early version of Newton later this year, industry watchers and developers worldwide eagerly anticipate how this powerful alliance between AI pioneers and entertainment giants will reshape the landscape of interactive robotics.
