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Disney names CTO for the first time as media giant expands tech push
CNBC • • general
Key Points:
- Disney has appointed Karandeep Anand, former CEO of Character.AI, as senior executive vice president and chief technology officer, a new role reporting directly to CEO Josh D'Amaro, starting October 2.
- Anand will lead Disney's enterprise technology, infrastructure, data and AI platforms, product, and engineering efforts to modernize technology across the company.
- This hire aligns with D'Amaro's strategy to leverage technology to enhance Disney's core growth areas, particularly streaming and parks, and to integrate storytelling with technological innovation.
- Disney is expanding its streaming service Disney+ by considering a free ad-supported tier and plans to integrate streaming with shopping and other consumer experiences under an "integrated ecosystem."
- Anand's background includes managing rapid growth and user trust at Character.AI; Disney is also hiring additional technical staff from Character.AI, despite previous legal disputes over unauthorized use of Disney characters.
