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AI CURATED HOT STORY · 10/19/2026

Disney Hires Majority of Bankrupt Character.AI Staff as Former CEO Becomes CTO

1 reports archived1 independent sourcesupdated 10/19/2026, 00:30:00
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Following Character.AI's bankruptcy filing, Disney has agreed to hire at least 60 employees, the majority of its workforce, as part of a broader $20 million asset acquisition deal. This move allows Disney to rapidly integrate top-tier AI talent under its new CTO while providing a soft landing for the startup team amidst ongoing safety controversies.

LATEST/Following Character.AI's bankruptcy filing, Disney has agreed to hire at least 60 employees, the majority of its workforce, as part of a broader $20 million asset acquisition deal. This move allows Disney to rapidly integrate top-tier AI talent under its new CTO while providing a soft landing for the startup team amidst ongoing safety controversies.

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Total 1 reports · Latest first
  1. TechCrunch AIT2·68 pts
    • Disney commits to hiring at least 60 Character.AI employees (the majority) as part of a $20M asset acquisition.
    • Former Character.AI CEO Karandeep Anand now serves as Disney's first-ever CTO, leading its AI strategy.
    • The staffing deal follows Character.AI's bankruptcy filing amid child safety investigations, representing a 'soft landing' for the team.
Disney Hires Majority of Bankrupt Character.AI Staff as Former CEO Becomes CTO | Today for AI