Disney appoints first chief technology officer, bringing in Character.AI's former CEO

On September 18, 2026, Disney announced the appointment of Karandip Anand as its first Chief Technology Officer (CTO), effective October 2. Anand, previously the CEO of Character.AI, will report directly to CEO Josh D'Amaro. This move comes just months after D'Amaro took over as CEO, emphasizing the company's focus on leveraging technology to drive business growth. Anand will oversee enterprise technology, infrastructure, data, AI platforms, and product engineering, while coordinating cross-functional teams to modernize Disney's technical operations. D'Amaro stated that Anand's expertise in infrastructure, consumer technology, and AI makes him a valuable addition to the executive team. Anand previously led Character.AI, a platform allowing users to create and interact with AI-driven chatbots based on fictional characters. Disney also recruited several members from Character.AI's technical team. Anand's tenure at Character.AI saw rapid growth, establishing the platform as one of the most active consumer AI services globally, with a strong focus on user trust and safety. Notably, Disney had previously sent a cease-and-desist letter to Character.AI in 2025, accusing it of unauthorized use of Disney's copyrighted characters.