The Walt Disney Company’s incoming chief executive, Josh D’Amaro, has described his plans to balance Disney’s legacy with innovation as he prepares to succeed Bob Iger next month, highlighting investments in artificial intelligence.
D’Amaro, currently the chair of Disney’s Experiences unit, said he felt the weight of leading a century-old cultural institution while signaling continuity with Iger’s bold approach and an embrace of new technology, comments that came hours after he was named Disney’s next CEO.
What Did Josh D’Amaro Say About AI And Disney?
In an interview with ABC News, D’Amaro said he intended to continue Iger’s culture of risk-taking and would push forward with generative AI at Disney. Last year, the company agreed to a $1 billion investment into OpenAI.
The incoming CEO framed AI as a tool to supercharge creatives rather than replace them, echoing the outgoing Iger’s view that technology represents opportunity.
Industry analysis has tied D’Amaro’s selection to Disney’s pivot toward in-person, premium experiences amid AI’s disruptive potential for film and TV, positioning parks and cruises as key profit drivers.
Disneyland Abu Dhabi
Underlining his ambition, D’Amaro cited Disney’s planned first theme park in the Middle East.
“I’m a big risk-taker. That’s been true my whole life with how I’ve approached growing as an individual to how I’ve approached the business world. And I think you see that on full display today. Just several months ago, we announced a massive expansion in a new part of the world, in Abu Dhabi. We did that quickly, we did it ambitiously, and we knew there was a new part of the world to serve,” he told ABC.
Disney Abu Dhabi is set to be located on Yas Island. The company said in a news release that it would bring “iconic stories and magical experiences to life like never before.”
Who Is Josh D’Amaro?
D’Amaro, 54, joined Disney in 1998 and rose through Disneyland and Walt Disney World leadership to chair Disney Experiences, which oversees 12 theme parks, 57 resort hotels, cruise lines, Imagineering and global consumer products.
D’Amaro took over Disney’s theme park division in February 2020, navigating the parks through COVID-19 closures and their controversial but financially successful reopening.
The incoming CEO has cultivated a strong social media presence with over 184,000 Instagram followers. He regularly visits the parks, poses for selfies with guests and cast members, and shares photos of himself riding attractions and interacting with Disney characters. He leads a global team of 180,000 cast members.
D’Amaro’s appointment places his former Experiences division—theme parks, resorts, cruise lines and consumer products—at the center of the company’s strategy amid shifting streaming economics and rapid advances in AI that are changing how entertainment is created and consumed
What Happens Next
D’Amaro is set to assume the CEO role next month as Iger transitions to an advisory capacity during the handoff, with the changeover set for March 18, according to reporting on Disney’s succession planning.
Disney has committed $60 billion over 10 years to expand Experiences, including new attractions, lands, hotels, cruise ships and technology—an investment that has underscored the division’s growing centrality to Disney’s financial future.
Alongside the strong investment in in-person experiences, the $1 billion investment in OpenAI and D’Amaro’s stated focus on AI as a creative accelerant suggest further integration of advanced tools across studios, Imagineering and consumer experiences.
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