Disney has appointed Karandeep Anand as its first-ever chief technology officer, reporting directly to new CEO Josh D’Amaro. He will oversee the company’s infrastructure, product, engineering, and data and artificial intelligence platforms, signalling a stronger strategic focus on technology and AI.

Anand joins after just over a year as CEO of chatbot company Character.AI, where he led its move into microdramas. His appointment is notable because Disney previously sent Character.AI cease-and-desist letters over alleged copyright infringement, while the hiring comes after Disney’s partnership with OpenAI broke down.