Karandeep Anand, Former CEO of Character.AI

Key Points:

• Disney has appointed Karandeep Anand, former CEO of generative AI chatbot company Character.AI, as its first chief technology officer, effective October 2, reporting directly to Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro.
• Anand’s hiring reflects Disney’s push to position itself as a tech-forward entertainment company, focusing on integrating technology with creativity to enhance storytelling and fan engagement, particularly through platforms like Disney+.
• Anand brings extensive experience from leadership roles at Character.AI, Brex, Meta’s Facebook, and Microsoft, including work on the Azure cloud platform, and will oversee enterprise technology, infrastructure, data, AI platforms, product, and engineering across Disney.
• This newly created CTO role marks a shift in Disney’s leadership structure, with Anand expected to lead modernization efforts across the company’s technology systems, while Adam Smith, the previous highest-ranking tech executive, has been promoted to chairman of direct-to-consumer for Disney Entertainment.
• Anand expressed enthusiasm about joining Disney, highlighting his admiration for the company’s blend of storytelling and technology and his commitment to connecting fans with Disney’s content through innovative technological solutions.