Disney Lays Off Lawyers as AI Push Changes Work Processes
Disney is gearing up for another round of layoffs as part of its company-wide workforce redesign. The entertainment giant is pushing to adopt artificial intelligence and other technologies, which will require 'hard choices' about staffing investments and work processes. In a memo sent on September 18, Disney's chief legal and global affairs officer, Horacio Gutierrez, warned employees that the legal and global affairs department would be significantly downsized.
The company is looking to automate certain workflows by leveraging AI systems, moving towards self-service models, engaging alternative providers, and outsourcing. This effort is part of a broader push under CEO Josh D'Amaro to improve operational efficiency by leveraging AI. Disney's CFO Hugh Johnston said during an earnings call in May that the company was using technology to 'fundamentally change how work gets done'.
Disney has posted a job opening for a director of AI enablement and legal engineering, which will involve redesigning legal workflows using AI systems and implementing other technology-related solutions. The position requires evaluating whether Disney should build AI systems internally or buy them from outside vendors, measuring the return on investment for AI, and helping lawyers adopt new workflows.