Disney Appoints First Chief Technology Officer to Lead Enterprise Tech and AI Initiatives
The Walt Disney Company has appointed Karandeep Anand as its first chief technology officer (CTO) effective October 2, 2026. In this newly created role, Anand will oversee enterprise technology, infrastructure, data management, and artificial intelligence platforms across the company. He reports directly to CEO Josh D'Amaro, who has emphasized leveraging AI for growth and operational efficiency. Anand previously served as CEO of Character.ai, a generative AI chatbot platform, and some members of its technical team are expected to join Disney alongside him. The appointment follows recent legal actions by Disney against third-party AI services over the unauthorized use of copyrighted characters. D'Amaro has highlighted that data unification is critical for advancing agentic AI capabilities across Disney's diverse business units. Disney plans to expand AI usage in film production, rendering processes, and streaming personalization on platforms like Disney+. The company aims to accelerate creative output while ensuring user trust and safety within its technology initiatives.
Topics: AI enterprise technology leadership change