Walt Disney Company has created its first-ever Chief Technology Officer (CTO) position, appointing Karandeep Anand, the former CEO of artificial intelligence startup Character.AI, as the company steps up its technology and AI ambitions.
Anand will join Disney as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer on October 2 and will report directly to CEO Josh D’Amaro. His appointment is part of a wider effort to strengthen Disney’s technology infrastructure and create a more connected digital experience for consumers.
A New Technology Role at Disney
Disney has historically spread technology responsibilities across its different businesses rather than having a single executive oversee the company's entire technology operation.
That is now changing. Anand will oversee enterprise technology, infrastructure, data and AI platforms, product and engineering, working across Disney's different business segments.
The company said the newly created role is intended to help modernize how Disney develops and delivers technology throughout the organization.
Former Character.AI Chief Brings AI Experience
Anand arrives at Disney with a strong background in technology and AI.
Before joining Disney, he served as CEO of Character.AI, where he led the company during a period of rapid user growth. He previously held senior positions at Meta and Microsoft, including leadership roles connected to Facebook's business products and Microsoft's Azure platform.
He also served as president and chief product officer at financial technology company Brex. His experience across infrastructure, consumer technology and artificial intelligence makes him a notable addition to Disney's senior leadership team.
Several members of Character.AI's technical team are also expected to join Disney as part of the transition.
Disney Wants Technology to Drive Growth
The appointment comes as Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro places greater emphasis on technology as a source of growth across the company.
D’Amaro has been pushing for stronger direct relationships between Disney and its customers, with Disney+ positioned as a digital centerpiece for a more connected consumer experience.
The company's strategy extends beyond streaming. Technology is increasingly being used across Disney's entertainment, sports and experiences businesses, from digital products and advertising systems to data platforms and AI-powered tools.
Streaming Becomes a Major Focus
Disney's technology push is also closely linked to its streaming business.
Just a day before announcing Anand's appointment, Disney named Adam Smith as chairman of Direct-to-Consumer for Disney Entertainment. Smith will oversee Disney+ and Hulu, including product, engineering, advertising technology, viewer experience, partnerships, and data and analytics.
The two appointments indicate that Disney is placing greater emphasis on technology, product development and data as streaming becomes increasingly central to its relationship with audiences.
AI and Data Take a Bigger Role
Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly important part of Disney's technology strategy.
The company has already been experimenting with AI-powered search and discovery on Disney+ and ESPN, while also using technology in areas such as entertainment production and immersive experiences.
Disney has also worked with major technology companies including NVIDIA, Adobe and Meta on projects involving robotics, creative tools and new forms of guest interaction.
Anand's appointment gives Disney a senior executive specifically responsible for bringing many of these technology efforts together.
Balancing Technology With Storytelling
Disney is making clear that technology is intended to support rather than replace its core entertainment business.
CEO Josh D’Amaro described Disney's priorities as keeping storytelling at the centre, using technology in service of creativity and operating the company in a more integrated way.
That approach places Anand in a role that combines technical infrastructure with consumer-facing innovation.
For Disney, the goal is to make technology more deeply connected to how audiences watch content, interact with characters and use the company's digital products.
A New Direction for Disney
The creation of a CTO role marks a significant organizational change for one of the world's largest entertainment companies.
Disney is increasingly operating at the intersection of media, streaming, AI, data and digital products, making technology leadership more important than it was in the traditional television and film era.
With Anand joining in October and new leadership also being put in place across the streaming business, Disney is building a more centralized technology strategy.
The coming years will show how effectively the company can combine its long-established storytelling capabilities with newer technologies such as AI, while creating a more unified digital ecosystem for millions of fans around the world.
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