Disney has named Karandeep Anand, the former CEO of chatbot company Character.AI, as its first-ever Chief Technology Officer — a newly created role that signals the entertainment giant's intent to deepen AI integration across its operations.
Anand led Character.AI through a period of rapid growth and public scrutiny before departing the company. His appointment to a newly created CTO position at Disney suggests the company is elevating technology leadership to the executive level as it navigates AI's impact on content creation, theme park operations, and its streaming platforms.
The hire comes as Disney, like other major media companies, grapples with how to deploy AI across its vast entertainment empire while managing creative and workforce implications. Disney has been investing in AI and machine learning across its parks, experiences, and streaming divisions, but previously lacked a C-level technology executive reporting to the CEO.
Character.AI, where Anand previously served, is one of the most popular consumer AI applications, letting users create and interact with AI-powered characters. The company has faced both commercial success and controversy over user safety, particularly regarding younger users.
