Disney Hires Its First CTO, a Former CEO of AI Startup It Once Accused of Copyright Infringement

The short version

Karandeep Anand was appointed as Disney's first-ever chief technology officer by new CEO Josh D'Amaro.

Disney previously sent Character.AI a cease-and-desist letter in September 2025 accusing the AI startup of infringing on its copyrighted characters.

Anand served as CEO of Character.AI beginning in May 2025 and previously worked at Facebook from 2015 to 2021 and Microsoft for 15 years.

Moyan AI incorrectly reported that Jamie Brew was appointed as Disney's inaugural CTO, contradicting reports from TechCrunch, Yahoo Finance, and daily.dev.

The Walt Disney Company has appointed its first-ever chief technology officer, naming former Character.AI CEO Karandeep Anand to the role. TechCrunch reported the hiring on September 18, 2026, noting that the appointment was made by new Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro following Bob Iger stepping down in March 2026.

Who is Karandeep Anand?

Karandeep Anand is the newly appointed chief technology officer of Disney who previously served as the CEO and board adviser of AI startup Character.AI. According to his LinkedIn profile cited by TechCrunch and Yahoo Finance, Anand stepped into the CEO role at Character.AI in May 2025. Prior to his time at the AI startup, Anand spent 15 years working at Microsoft and worked at Facebook from 2015 to 2021.

Character.AI, founded in 2021, allows users to create distinct virtual characters using generative AI and interact with them. The startup previously faced significant hurdles, including lawsuits alleging its chatbots encouraged users to commit self-harm and suicide, alongside legal friction with major media companies.

Why is this appointment notable?

The hiring brings an executive from an AI startup into Disney's highest technology position just a year after Disney targeted that same startup over intellectual property concerns. In September 2025, Disney sent a cease-and-desist letter to Character.AI accusing the company of infringing on its beloved characters and copyrighted franchises.

TechCrunch reported that the hiring suggests Josh D’Amaro wants the company to embrace new technologies following the leadership transition from Bob Iger earlier in 2026.

Who else has been reported as the appointee?

While multiple outlets including TechCrunch, Yahoo Finance, daily.dev, Inshorts, Runtime Wire, and Eastern Herald reported that Karandeep Anand was appointed as Disney's first CTO, conflicting information emerged from one source. Moyan AI reported that Jamie Brew was the former head of Character.AI appointed as Disney's CTO.

This is educational information, not legal, financial, tax, or investment advice.

Frequently asked questions

When was Karandeep Anand appointed as Disney's chief technology officer?

TechCrunch reported the hiring of Karandeep Anand on September 18, 2026.

What legal issues did Disney have with Character.AI?

In September 2025, Disney sent a cease-and-desist letter to Character.AI accusing the startup of infringing on its copyrighted characters and franchises.