The writing has been on the wall for that for awhile though...
Every large animation studio has continually been looking for ways to decrease the number of artists required to produce a film, since the beginning of the field.
I don't know who in the upper parts of the various guilds in Hollywood saw this demo'd last summer, but they really really took notice. Those strikes went on for a long time, and it seems that holding out and getting the clause in to exclude this kinda tech was a brilliant bit of foresight. Holy heck, in 5 years, maybe just a year, this kinda tech is going to take nearly all their jobs.
Every large animation studio has continually been looking for ways to decrease the number of artists required to produce a film, since the beginning of the field.