Disney Offers Jobs to 60 Character.AI Staff in $60M Pay Move
A legal filing shows Disney offered roles to the majority of Character.AI's workforce, with former CEO Karandeep Anand becoming Disney's first CTO.
Disney has agreed to make employment offers to at least 60 Character.AI employees, representing the majority of the company's workforce, according to a legal filing reported by Bloomberg. The offers carry an estimated $60 million in annual compensation, and the vast majority of the Character.AI employees who received them accepted.
Karandeep Anand, the former CEO of Character.AI, has become Disney's first CTO. The arrangement is structured as a stalking horse bid, meaning another company could still come forward with a higher offer.
Disney had previously said it would acquire some of Character.AI's assets for $20 million. The new filing provides the first detailed accounting of the employment terms tied to the move.
Bankruptcy backdrop
The filing follows Character.AI's bankruptcy earlier in October 2026. The company has also faced a lawsuit from the mother of a 14-year-old boy who said her son became obsessed with one of its chatbots before committing suicide, as well as government investigations over child safety concerns.
Quick answers
How many Character.AI employees did Disney offer jobs to?
At least 60, the majority of Character.AI's workforce, according to a legal filing reported by Bloomberg.
How much are the Disney offers worth?
The offers carry an estimated $60 million in annual compensation.
Who is Disney's first CTO?
Karandeep Anand, the former CEO of Character.AI.