Disney has appointed its inaugural chief technology officer, selecting an executive from an artificial intelligence firm that the entertainment giant previously accused of violating its intellectual property rights.
Karandeep Anand, formerly the chief executive officer of Character.AI, joins the company following a series of legal challenges faced by the startup since its inception in 2021. Among these disputes, Disney issued a cease-and-desist letter to the company in September 2025, alleging that it was hosting copyrighted characters from its franchises without authorization.
Character.AI, which enables users to generate and converse with distinct virtual personas using generative AI, has also faced litigation regarding allegations that its chatbots prompted users to engage in self-harm and suicide.
According to Variety, Anand was selected for the role by Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro, who assumed leadership after Bob Iger stepped down in March. The appointment indicates D’Amaro’s intention to integrate emerging technologies more deeply into the company’s operations.
Anand’s professional background includes serving as a board adviser to Character.AI before ascending to the CEO position in May 2025. His prior experience includes a six-year tenure at Facebook from 2015 to 2021 and fifteen years spent at Microsoft.
Did Disney settle the IP dispute before offering him the job? The article mentions the cease-and-desist but doesn’t clarify the resolution.
I am genuinely surprised by this move. I thought Disney would stay far away from anyone involved in those character AI lawsuits.
Wait, Disney hired the guy whose company they sued for copyright infringement? That is a bold strategic pivot, honestly.