Disney is making a clear statement about where it wants to compete next: at the intersection of storytelling, data and artificial intelligence.
The company said Friday that it has hired Karandeep Anand, most recently chief executive officer of Character.AI, as senior executive vice president and chief technology officer, effective Oct. 2. The newly created role will report directly to Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro and is designed to sharpen the company’s technology strategy across the enterprise.
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A New Technology Mandate At Disney
Anand will oversee enterprise technology, infrastructure, data and artificial intelligence platforms, as well as product and engineering. Disney said he will work across technical teams to modernize how the company builds and delivers technology across the business.
“Karandeep brings a rare mix of experience across infrastructure, consumer technology and AI, and will be a vital addition to Disney’s senior leadership team as we further our three priorities: great storytelling as our North Star, technology in service of creativity, and operating as One Disney,” D’Amaro said in the company’s announcement.
The hire reflects a broader strategic shift under D’Amaro, who has emphasized that Disney must use technology not as a support function, but as a growth engine. Since taking the top job, he has focused on reinforcing the company’s strongest businesses — especially streaming and parks — while building new digital capabilities that can extend Disney’s intellectual property across more consumer touchpoints.
Streaming Sits At The Center
Disney+ remains central to that plan. D’Amaro has said the company is considering a free, ad-supported tier for the service as a potential “front porch” to bring more consumers into the ecosystem. The idea underscores a broader push to turn Disney+ into more than a subscription platform.
On Thursday, Disney also named Adam Smith chairman of direct-to-consumer for Disney Entertainment, further signaling the importance of streaming in the company’s next phase of growth.
Executives have also suggested that shopping and streaming will become more tightly connected on Disney+, with more details expected in the spring. At an investor conference earlier this month, CFO Hugh Johnston described the effort as an “integrated ecosystem” under the Disney+ banner — one that could bring together films, television, consumer products, parks, cruises and gaming through Disney’s vast library of intellectual property.
Why Character.AI Matters
Anand joins Disney from Character.AI, a platform that lets users create and interact with character-based chatbots. Disney said he led the company through a period of rapid growth while keeping user trust and safety at the forefront. In addition to Anand, Disney is also bringing in members of Character.AI’s technical team.
His background spans consumer technology, infrastructure and financial technology, with prior roles at Brex and Meta’s Facebook. That combination appears to fit Disney’s ambitions as it seeks to modernize internal systems while also building more personalized, scalable consumer experiences.
The move is also notable given Disney’s complicated history with Character.AI. Last year, Disney sent the startup a cease-and-desist letter over the use of copyrighted characters without authorization. Character.AI later said it removed the characters referenced in Disney’s complaint.
Still, the appointment suggests Disney is prepared to lean into the very technologies it once challenged — provided they can be used to reinforce its core assets and extend the value of its intellectual property. In an entertainment market increasingly shaped by AI, platform design and consumer data, that may prove to be a competitive necessity rather than an option.
Company websites: The Walt Disney Company, Character.AI
