Disney has announced the appointment of Karandeep Anand, former head of the artificial intelligence firm Character.AI, as its inaugural Chief Technology Officer. In this pivotal role, Anand will oversee the management of various technology teams throughout Disney and will report directly to CEO Josh D'Amaro. Additionally, several key members of Anand's former team will transition to Disney. Anand brings a wealth of experience from his previous roles at Meta and Microsoft, and he assumed the position of CEO at Character.AI in June 2025. Notably, Character.AI had encountered challenges when its chatbot was linked to instances of self-harm and suicidal tendencies among teenagers, leading to a settlement with the affected families. However, it is important to clarify that these events transpired prior to Anand's tenure at the company. D'Amaro has underscored the importance of technological advancement as a core priority for Disney, with the objectives of strengthening the company's technological prowess, elevating Disney+ as a unified gateway for consumers across all business sectors, and resolving the issue of disparate technology systems across different business units. Anand will spearhead the modernization and enhancement of the group's technology research and development, as well as its delivery systems. In a related move, Disney also elevated Adam Smith, a seasoned Silicon Valley veteran, to the position of Chairman of its streaming business, further underscoring the company's commitment to technological innovation and leadership in the digital entertainment space.