From TechCrunch · Lucas Ropek · · 1m 20s
Disney hires CTO from AI startup it sued
Disney's new chief technology officer previously led Character.AI, the company Disney accused of copying its characters.
In brief
Disney's new chief technology officer previously led Character.AI, the company Disney accused of copying its characters. Disney is signaling a shift toward embracing AI technology by hiring a leader from an AI startup it previously took legal action against. Originally reported by TechCrunch.
Disney names first CTO
Disney hired Karandeep Anand as its first-ever chief technology officer. He was previously CEO of Character.AI, an AI startup Disney sued in September 2025.
The copyright dispute
Disney sent Character.AI a cease and desist letter in September 2025, claiming the platform was hosting copyrighted Disney characters without permission.
What Character.AI does
Character.AI lets users create and interact with virtual characters powered by generative AI. Disney claimed the platform was hosting unauthorized versions of its beloved franchises.
Other legal troubles
Beyond Disney's lawsuit, Character.AI has faced additional legal challenges, including allegations that its chatbots encouraged users to commit self-harm and suicide.
Anand's background
Anand worked at Facebook from 2015 to 2021 and spent 15 years at Microsoft before joining Character.AI as a board adviser, then becoming CEO in May 2025.
D'Amaro signals AI embrace
New Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro, who took over in March 2026, chose Anand for the role. The hiring suggests Disney wants to embrace new AI technologies.
The main idea
Disney is signaling a shift toward embracing AI technology by hiring a leader from an AI startup it previously took legal action against.
