Recent remarks from Disney CEO Bob Iger have prompted some viewers to call for a boycott of the company’s streaming platform.
Disney+ is expected to introduce tools that let users create AI-generated content — a move that has fueled widespread criticism from fans who argue that creative industries are already under threat from the rush to adopt artificial intelligence.
The backlash intensified after Iger revealed during Disney’s fourth-quarter 2025 earnings call that the company plans to allow AI-produced material on Disney+.
He noted that Disney is “in the midst of rolling out the biggest and most meaningful changes — from both a product and technology standpoint — since Disney+ launched in 2019.”
Iger continued: “What excites us most is how AI will enable us to offer a far more interactive experience on Disney+, including allowing users to create their own content and to view user-generated content — primarily short-form — from others.”
Many Disney fans reacted negatively. Some worry that the flood of AI-generated media will lead to job losses, lower-quality programming, and a departure from Disney’s creative values. Others urged subscribers to cancel their memberships and support other studios, such as DreamWorks or Illumination, which have voiced opposition to generative AI.
The tension mirrors broader industry concerns. The music world has been inundated with AI-made acts — including a country group that recently topped the Billboard charts. Earlier this year, controversy erupted when a Dutch creator introduced an AI “actress,” Tilly Norwood, and Coca-Cola faced backlash for releasing a Christmas ad built with generative AI that viewers widely criticized.
To many, these examples underscore fears that society is drifting into a creative dystopia, where audiences struggle to distinguish authentic art from algorithmic output.
A recent global survey conducted by French streaming platform Deezer and research firm Ipsos found that an overwhelming 97% of respondents “couldn’t tell the difference” between real music and AI-generated tracks.
On a more optimistic note, only 19% of those surveyed said they trusted AI, while 51% expressed concern that its use in music production could result in generic, homogenized sound.
