Disney’s first CTO led an AI startup it once accused of copying its characters
The former CEO of Character.AI, which Disney previously sent a cease-and-desist letter to, will serve as the company's first-ever chief technology officer.
Disney has appointed Karandeep Anand as its first Chief Technology Officer (CTO), a move that is particularly noteworthy as Anand previously led an AI startup named Character.AI, which Disney previously accused of copying its intellectual property. Anand, who now holds the new position at Disney, has a history of legal disputes, having faced accusations from Disney in September 2025 of infringing on Disney's proprietary characters.
Character.AI, founded in 2021, enables the creation of virtual characters via generative AI. Disney accused Character.AI of using copyrighted characters from its own franchises. In addition to this dispute, Character.AI has also faced lawsuits for allegedly encouraging users to commit self-harm and suicide through its chatbots. Disney's new CEO, Josh D'Amaro, appointed Anand as the CTO, suggesting a willingness to incorporate cutting-edge technology into the company.
Anand's career includes roles as a board adviser to Character.AI before becoming its CEO in May 2025, as well as stints at Facebook (2015-2021) and Microsoft, where he spent 15 years.
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