Disney apologizes for ChatGPT jokes on cruise ship elevators

by gCaptain (April 1, 2023) CruizeNewz reports that the Disney Wish cruise ship recently experienced some unexpected technical difficulties with its elevators and had to return to port. According to sources, the ship had installed a state-of-the-art ChatGPT-based chatbot, modeled after the popular Disney+ series Mandalorian and its Jungle Cruise theme park ride, to replace the typical elevator music that usually soothes passengers.

The feature was an instant hit with guests, who crowded the elevators to hear the bot’s endless stream of Jungle Cruise-esque dad jokes, narrated by none other than Mandalorian star actor Pedro Pascal himself. However, things quickly went awry when passengers became so engrossed in the chatbot’s puns that they refused to exit the elevators, causing them to become overcrowded and eventually collapsing.

“I couldn’t believe it when I heard the Mandalorian crack some really bad dad jokes,” said one passenger. “But it was so hilarious that my son pushed all the elevator buttons to stay in the elevator longer. Unfortunately, everyone else had the same idea, and the crowd was starting to make me uneasy.”

Many guests loved the feature, but some reported feeling frustrated and anxious due to the long elevator waits and constant barrage of dad jokes. One guest even reported getting dizzy from the repetitive and unfunny nautical puns the chatbot was fond of telling.

Some examples of the bot’s jokes are:

“What do you call a Jedi who likes to sail? Obi Wan Canoe Bi!”
“What did the pirate say when he saw a Star Destroyer? ‘Arrr, that’s a trap!’”
“What do you get when you mix a pirate and a Jedi? An Arrrr-2D2!”
“What do you call a stormtrooper on a boat? A sailor!”

According to CruizeNewz, teenage passengers in particular were divided about the jokes, with some finding them “cringey” and “NOT funny.” But the clever use of the chatbot by Baby Yoda rolls his eyes after each punchline, the youthful audience seemed won over, who couldn’t help but giggle. Some teens even went so far as to take selfies with the elevator screen, declaring it the “cutest thing ever” and a highlight of their Disney cruise experience.

Despite positive reviews from passengers, Disney’s vice president of cruises has since apologized for the chatbot’s behavior and promised to remove it from the elevators, saying no passengers were hurt by the experience.

While the use of AI chatbots can be a valuable tool to improve guest experiences, this incident underscores the need to consider the impact of such technology on passengers and prevent elevator overcrowding. Industry experts point out that AI at sea can become particularly dangerous when installed with nautical puns!