Disney Names Character.AI Veteran Karandeep Anand Its First CTO Despite IP Clash
Disney hires Character.AI ex-CEO Karandeep Anand as its first CTO, despite a 2025 IP clash and lawsuits alleging chatbot-related self-harm and suicide risks.
Summary
Disney has hired Karandeep Anand, former CEO of Character.AI, as its first-ever chief technology officer. New CEO Josh D’Amaro selected Anand after Bob Iger stepped down in March, an appointment indicating D’Amaro wants Disney to embrace new technologies.
Character.AI, founded in 2021, lets users create and converse with generative AI characters. Disney sent it a cease and desist letter in September 2025, alleging it hosted copyrighted characters from Disney franchises. The company has also faced lawsuits claiming its chatbots encouraged self-harm and suicide. Anand advised Character.AI’s board before becoming CEO in May 2025. He previously worked at Facebook from 2015 to 2021 and spent 15 years at Microsoft.
Positives
- Disney established its first chief technology officer role, indicating CEO Josh D’Amaro wants the company to embrace new technologies.
- Karandeep Anand brings leadership experience from Character.AI alongside 15 years at Microsoft and six years at Facebook.
- Character.AI gives users tools to create distinct generative AI characters and converse with them.
Risks & concerns
- Disney sent Character.AI a cease and desist letter in September 2025 over allegedly copyrighted characters from its franchises.
- Character.AI has faced lawsuits alleging its chatbots encouraged users to commit self-harm and suicide.
- Disney’s first CTO previously led a company that has weathered multiple legal problems since its 2021 founding.