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Disney Hires AI Whiz Anand as First CTO
18 Sep
Summary
- Karandeep Anand, former Character.AI CEO, named Disney's first CTO.
- Anand's appointment follows industry shifts toward AI and consolidation.
- He previously held roles at Meta, Microsoft, and fintech firm Brex.
Walt Disney has appointed Karandeep Anand as its first Chief Technology Officer, effective October 2. Anand, who most recently led generative AI chatbot service Character.AI, will report directly to CEO Josh D'Amaro. His responsibilities will encompass enterprise technology, AI platforms, and engineering across all of Disney's business segments.
Anand brings a wealth of experience from previous leadership roles, including serving as president and chief product officer at fintech company Brex. He also held senior positions at Meta's Facebook and spent 15 years at Microsoft, where he contributed to building the Azure platform.
This appointment comes as the media industry faces significant disruption from advancements in artificial intelligence and ongoing consolidation. Disney has also recently focused on its direct-to-consumer platforms, appointing Adam Smith as chairman of its streaming business and creating a new television franchise role for Joe Earley.
