If Disney Parks are where dreams come true, Jon Snoddy is the man in charge of figuring out what to dream up next. And, yes, that includes bringing "Star Wars" droids to life in front of you. Snoddy leads the research and development studio for Walt Disney Imagineering. He detailed two projects aiming to use artificial intelligence to make park robots more lifelike, in an interview with CNET Saturday at the SXSW Conference and Festivals here in Austin, Texas. The projects are part of Disney's legacy of innovation that stretches back to the company's beginning.

What's creepier than adults dressed up in giant cartoon character costumes? That's right, robots dressed up in the same gear. The animator is no stranger to pushing new technology, it's been a pioneer of computer graphics for decades, but now it's taking its tech-loving push in a more physical direction. Giving a rare glimpse of the workings behind the "magic", Disney has given an insight into its planned future tech use, with robots and artificial intelligence to give new form to the company's storytelling in the coming years. "I think AI and machine learning is going to be very important for what we do," said Jon Snoddy, Disney's Vice President for research and development.

Disney has provided an insight into the future of its theme parks, where robotic versions of its iconic characters could soon walk among guests. The entertainment firm discussed plans to embrace brand new technologies at SXSW 2017, where it also showed off footage of a robot Pascal, the lizard from Tangled. As if the thought of an enormous, roaming robot Mickey Mouse wasn't disconcerting enough, Disney also confirmed that artificial intelligence will allow its robots to interact with people. "I think AI and machine learning is going to be very important for what we do," Jon Snoddy, Disney's senior vice president for research and development, told the BBC. "Things like characters that can move around among our guests. They're going to need to understand where they're going, have goals, and they're going to have to know how to navigate in a world with humans."

Ever since Steamboat Willie, the iconic animated clip from 1928 featuring a mouse that would later become Mickey, Disney has had a proud record of innovating with new technology. It's rare that the company delves too far into how the "magic" - as they call it - works. Their logic is a magic trick doesn't get better if you know how it's done. On Saturday, Disney - quite uncharacteristically - gave us a bit of an insight into how they plan to use technology to bring their much-loved brand of storytelling to new forms, by using robotics and artificial intelligence. Jon Snoddy, the company's senior Vice President for research and development, explained how soon you'll be able to interact with story-telling robots at Disney parks.