Disney’s first CTO is Character.AI’s former CEO | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyNotificationsNotificationsHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.NotificationsNotificationsHamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchLightSystemDarkTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersArchivesStoreVerge Product UpdatesSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Disney’s first CTO is Character.AI’s former CEONotificationsNotificationsComments DrawerNotificationsCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...EntertainmentCloseEntertainmentPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All EntertainmentNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsStreamingCloseStreamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All StreamingDisney’s first CTO is Character.AI’s former CEOThe House of Mouse has poached Karandeep Anand from the chatbot company.The House of Mouse has poached Karandeep Anand from the chatbot company.by Charles Pulliam-MooreCloseCharles Pulliam-MooreFilm & TV ReporterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Charles Pulliam-MooreSep 18, 2026, 6:27 PM UTCLinkShareGiftIllustration by Nick Barclay / The VergeCharles Pulliam-MooreCloseCharles Pulliam-MoorePosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Charles Pulliam-Moore is a reporter focusing on film, TV, and pop culture. Before The Verge, he wrote about comic books, labor, race, and more at io9 and Gizmodo for almost five years.You would think that a multimedia conglomerate as large as Disney would have a few chief technology officers by now, but the company has just appointed someone to the position for the very first time.Today, Disney announced that Karandeep Anand is joining the company as its new CTO. Anand will report directly to recently appointed CEO Josh D’Amaro, and he will head up the company’s infrastructure, product, engineering, and data / AI platforms teams. Anand comes to Disney from chatbot startup Character.AI, where he served as CEO for just over a year and oversaw the company’s push into microdramas.Anand jumping ship to Disney comes as a bit of a surprise considering how this time last year, the company was sending Character.AI cease and desist letters due to the startup’s tools infringing on copyrighted IP. But Anand’s hiring could be a sign of how Disney wants to move forward with AI now that its partnership with OpenAI has fallen apart.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Charles Pulliam-MooreCloseCharles Pulliam-MooreFilm & TV ReporterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Charles Pulliam-MooreDisneyCloseDisneyPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All DisneyEntertainmentCloseEntertainmentPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All EntertainmentNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsStreamingCloseStreamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All StreamingMost PopularMost PopularThe Apple Watch Series 12 is the start of a new wearable eraThe 2.5-hour AI-generated Odyssey movie is 2.5 hours too longThe iPhone 18 Pro’s big camera update is all about the small gainsVideoInside the suddenly explosive world of AI safetyYour robotaxi might be a narcThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Advertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native adMore in EntertainmentWhat Hollywood thinks about existential AI warningsBrendan Carr’s FCC is more worried about who The View interviews than foreign governments owning ParamountLunacy Audio Nova is a place to build and sell your own AI-powered music plug-insSpotify’s Fresh Finds Forward gives artists free studio time and moreGrand Theft Auto VI’s soundtrack will feature 34 brand-new tracksThe streamers are fighting over HalloweenWhat Hollywood thinks about existential AI warningsCharles Pulliam-MooreTwo hours agoBrendan Carr’s FCC is more worried about who The View interviews than foreign governments owning ParamountTerrence O'Brien3:12 PM UTCLunacy Audio Nova is a place to build and sell your own AI-powered music plug-insTerrence O'BrienSep 17Spotify’s Fresh Finds Forward gives artists free studio time and moreTerrence O'BrienSep 17Grand Theft Auto VI’s soundtrack will feature 34 brand-new tracksAndrew WebsterSep 17The streamers are fighting over HalloweenAndrew WebsterSep 17Advertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native adTop Stories11:00 AM UTCFlash floods can strike without warning — this new technology could change thatTwo hours agoWhat Hollywood thinks about existential AI warningsSep 17Your robotaxi might be a narcSep 16The iPhone 18 Pro: an ambitious new camera on the marginsVideoTwo hours agoThe real story of the iPhone 18 Pro’s cameraThe VergeThe Verge logo.FacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSContactTip UsCommunity GuidelinesArchivesAboutEthics StatementHow We Rate and Review ProductsCookie SettingsTerms of UsePrivacy PolicyYour California Privacy RightsYour Privacy ChoicesCookie NoticeAdChoicesLicensing FAQAccessibilityPlatform StatusPenske Media CorporationThe Verge is a part of PMX Global, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Media Corporation.© 2026 VM Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.Our SitesThe American PavilionARTnewsArt in AmericaArtforumArt Week NYCBeauty IncBillboardDeadlineDick Clark ProductionsThe DodoEaterFlow SpaceFNGold DerbyGolden GlobesThe Hollywood ReporterIndieWireLife is BeautifulPopsugarPunchSJ DenimRobb ReportRolling StoneSB NationSHE MediaShe KnowsSourcing JournalSoapsSporticoStyleCasterSXSWThrillistVarietyThe VergeVibeWWDNotifications DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Sign in to see your notifications or create an account to join the conversation.Sign in

Disney has made a significant appointment by hiring Karandeep Anand as its inaugural Chief Technology Officer. Anand transitions from his role as CEO of the chatbot company Character.AI to lead technology and infrastructure at Disney, reporting directly to the newly appointed CEO Josh D’Amaro. In this role, Anand will be responsible for overseeing the company's infrastructure, product development, engineering, and data and artificial intelligence platforms. His background stems from his tenure at Character.AI, where he managed the company's strategic expansion into microdramas. This hiring occurs at a noteworthy time, as it follows recent tensions concerning the intellectual property rights of the startup's tools and the subsequent fracturing of the partnership involving OpenAI. The decision to bring Anand into the organization can be interpreted as an indication of Disney's strategic direction regarding artificial intelligence, particularly in a context where relationships with major AI developers are evolving.