With artificial intelligence continuing to develop and progress, a Purdue University administrator says it’s important to understand how AI could be used to help craft a story and enhance the experience of guests at theme parks, museums and in other entertainment areas.
The core of what people in the entertainment industry create are stories that connect with the hearts and mind of the audience. AI gives the opportunity to provide new ways to personalize those stories, said Christian Rogers, assistant dean for Purdue Polytechnic Institute.
He said the opportunity entails greater levels of customization. If a museum were to implement AI it could deliver content based on a guest’s demographic and age, he said.
“So it's not just to create like a dinosaur exhibit with a plaque on the wall that says, this was this dinosaur,” he said. “How can we craft something a little bit more unique that makes the guests feel like they're a part of that story? They're explorers. They're given a special name. Maybe they have to wear special hats, right?”
A current example of AI being used in theme parks would be Disneyland Paris. In November Disneyland Paris debuted a new robotic character, Olaf, from the Disney Frozen franchise. The robotic character is autonomous and can speak and engage in conversations. A branch of AI called reinforcement learning was used to make Olaf as authentic as possible.
Rogers started to discuss the evolution of AI in with contacts in the entertainment industry a couple years ago. Rogers works with Disney, LF Studios and other entertainment companies. Conversations also included the repercussions of AI, he said.
Concerns to keep in mind when implementing AI in this manner would be ensuring the safety of guests. For example, making sure the animatronic with AI doesn’t say something inappropriate or even cause physical harm. It’s also important that it doesn’t take the guests out of the story, Rogers said.
“If I'm implementing AI, if I have a situation where, let's say, an animatronic, or even something on a screen is talking to me, and the expectation is that Mickey Mouse sounds a certain way and acts certain way,” he said. Altering that will take the guest out of the experience and “take away the magic,” he said.
Rogers said he wants those who may have fears about the use of AI to know that these entertainment companies are approaching the use of AI with extreme caution and vetting, and with guest experience being a top priority.
