Disney’s AI-powered droids now roam theme parks and cruise ships worldwide

Disney Imagineering has deployed BDX droids powered by reinforcement learning AI at its theme parks worldwide, marking a significant leap forward in bringing animated characters to life in the real world. The technology enables these bipedal robots to develop personality and emotional responses autonomously, while dramatically accelerating Disney’s character development process from years to weeks.

What you should know: Disney’s BDX droids represent the entertainment giant’s first major deployment of AI-powered robotics, building on decades of audio-animatronics innovation.

• The droids have been charming guests at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge since fall 2023 and now operate across Disney parks in Florida, Paris, Tokyo, and on cruise ships.
• Kyle Laughlin, Imagineering’s senior VP of Research & Development, describes the technology as allowing a “process that used to take years, can now be done in days and weeks.”
• The droids use reinforcement learning—a type of machine learning where robots learn through trial and error, much like a child learning to walk—to develop walking, balance, and emotional responses through millions of simulations while maintaining artistic intent through animation.

The big picture: Disney is leveraging AI to transform its $60 billion, decade-long expansion plan by creating more autonomous, expressive characters that can interact with guests independently.

• Traditional audio-animatronics, which debuted in 1963 with the Tiki Room birds, required extensive hand-programming for each movement and interaction.
• The new AI approach allows characters to “think about how they move, how they emote, and how guests might engage with them,” according to Laughlin.
• Disney plans to deploy “free ranging characters” that can roam throughout parks without human performers.

Key partnerships: Disney has formed strategic collaborations with major tech companies to advance its robotics capabilities.

• In March, NVIDIA, Google DeepMind, and Disney Research announced Newton, an open-source physics engine designed to help robots learn complex tasks with greater precision.
• The BDX droids serve as one of the first applications of Newton technology.
• Industrial Light & Magic and Lucasfilm are also involved in the BDX droid project development.

From screen to reality: The BDX droids originated from the video game “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order” before being brought to life in Disney parks.

• The robots are now performing in live-action film production, appearing in Jon Favreau’s “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” scheduled for May 22, 2026 theatrical release.
• Rather than using computer-generated effects, the physical BDX droids interact directly with actors during filming.
• A H.E.R.B.I.E. bot will debut this summer as part of Disney’s Fantastic Four IP, connected to “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” July 25 release.

What they’re saying: Industry leaders emphasize the transformative potential of AI-powered robotics in entertainment.

• “This is how we are going to train robots in the future,” NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang explained during his GTC AI conference keynote, telling a BDX droid “you are smart.”
• “The BDX droids are just the beginning,” Laughlin confirms. “We’re committed to bringing more characters to life in ways the world hasn’t seen before.”
• “We have so many characters that can’t necessarily be performed by a performer, so we need to be able to unlock these characters and have them be able to roam throughout the parks,” he adds.

Looking ahead: Disney hints at an ambitious roadmap of AI-powered characters beyond the current BDX deployment.

• The company plans more “expressive, interactive characters across parks and cruise lines” as part of its announced $60 billion investment over the next decade.
• Laughlin teases “a robust roadmap of free ranging characters that we’re excited to announce at some future point in time, that we hope to populate our worlds with.”
• The technology positions Disney to unlock characters previously impossible to bring to life through traditional performance methods.