Disney Plans $180 Million Package for Character.AI Hires

Oct 17, 2026
Disney plans to spend $180 million over three years on compensation and retention for employees recruited from Character.AI, alongside a $20 million bid for selected assets.

Disney plans to pay about $60 million a year to 66 employees recruited from Character.AI, according to a Chapter 11 filing by the startup's parent company first reported by Business Insider and detailed by Benzinga. Disney also allocated a $30 million retention pool and expects compensation and retention costs to total $180 million over three years.

Of the 66 employees offered jobs, 56 have resigned from Character.AI. The other 10 are waiting for updates to their United States work visas. Disney recruited former Character.AI CEO Karandeep Anand in mid September as its first company wide technology chief.

Disney also offered $20 million for selected Character.AI intellectual property and technology as the stalking horse bidder in the bankruptcy sale. Competing bids are due November 20, and the sale could close in late November or early December with court approval. The recruitment followed Disney layoffs affecting several hundred employees, including some technology staff.

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