When you think of Disneyland or Disney World, you probably don’t think about robots. You probably think about fun rides, actors dressed as beloved Disney characters, and people furiously trying to get the tune of “It’s a Small World” out of their heads.
Nevertheless, Disney (DIS) has announced a new partnership, one that involves teaming up with two of the tech sector’s biggest names to enhance the experience of visiting its theme parks. If successful, the venture will help the company accomplish something it has wanted to do for years.
Joining Disney in this project are both Nvidia (NVDA) and Google (GOOGL) DeepMind. At the recent Nvidia GTC (GPU Technology Conference) 2025, audiences got a preview of what the AI leader is planning.
This development could help usher in a new era, not just for Nvidia and Disney but also for a rapidly advancing area of technology.
Nvidia debuted it’s latest collaboration with Disney and Google this week.
The magic of technology is coming to Disney’s parks
Over the past few days, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has unveiled some major developments the company is working on, including the new Blackwell Ultra AI chip. But the image most viewers will likely take away from Nvidia GTC 2025 is that of him being joined on stage by a small robot that delighted the crowd.
Many people have joked that robots are coming to take over humanity, but Nvidia’s rollout has made it clear that this phase of technology is likely to come sooner than expected.
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Isaac GR00T N1 marks a significant achievement in robotic technology. It is the first open humanoid robot foundation model.
The age of generalist robotics is here,” Huang proclaimed. “With NVIDIA Isaac GR00T N1 and new data-generation and robot-learning frameworks, robotics developers everywhere will open the next frontier in the age of AI.”
Nvidia published a statement on this key advancement, noting that Isaac GR00T N1 is only the first in a family of “fully customizable models” that it will release to robotics developers across the globe. The company claims that this will ultimately help address the labor shortage many companies feel.
On top of that, Nvidia also announced that it will be teaming up with Google Deepmind and Disney Research to create Newton, a physics engine with the ability to stimulate robotic movements and perform advanced functions in real-world settings. This is intended to allow Disney to power entertainment robots, something it believes will delight fans of franchises such as Star Wars.
Jensen Huang introduces Blue (Star Wars droid) after announcing NVIDIA partnership with DeepMind and Disney. pic.twitter.com/VMjk4DcKvW
— vitruvian potato (@vitrupo) March 18, 2025
“We’re committed to bringing more characters to life in ways the world hasn’t seen before, and this collaboration with Disney Research, NVIDIA and Google DeepMind is a key part of that vision,” stated Kyle Laughlin, a senior vice president at Walt Disney Imagineering. “This collaboration will allow us to create a new generation of robotic characters that are more expressive and engaging than ever before.”
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As the robot that joined Huang on stage at Nvidia GTC 2025 “BDX droids” was reportedly inspired by Star Wars and bore a striking resemblance to the bots featured in the franchise, it seems fitting that Disney would use Newton to power robots for its parks.
Nvidia is making clear progress, but it raises questions
In the fast-moving world of robotics, Nvidia’s recent progress represents a significant step forward for the company and the field in general. As noted, Nvidia plans to release the technology to other developers after the models have been trained.
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That said, this type of technology has applications for industries far beyond entertainment. In its statement announcing Newton, Nvidia laid out the complex nature of the model, highlighting the role played by physics:
“Physics plays a crucial role in robotic simulation, providing the foundation for accurate virtual representations of robot behavior and interactions within realistic environments. With these simulators, researchers and engineers can train, develop, test, and validate robotic control algorithms and prototype designs in a safe, accelerated, and cost-effective manner.”
It seems that in the not-too-distant future, the engineering tech community will have access to this highly advanced robotic technology, including defense contracts. According to Standard Bots, robotic technology is already “actively enhancing modern warfare.”
Newton may be used for entertainment purposes in the short term, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be implemented for much more serious things in the near future, some of which are much less fun than theme park robots.
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