Disney agreed to offer jobs to at least 60 employees of bankrupt chatbot startup Character.AI, a legal filing identified by Bloomberg showed.
The offers cover a majority of Character.AI’s workforce and carry estimated combined annual compensation of $60 million. The filing said the “vast majority” of employees offered Disney jobs accepted them.
Character.AI, which filed for bankruptcy earlier this week, previously said Disney had agreed to acquire some of its assets for $20 million. The agreement is a stalking horse bid, meaning another company could still submit a higher offer.
Character.AI’s former chief executive, Karandeep Anand, recently became Disney’s first chief technology officer.
The filing said Character.AI had been burdened by high costs and “potential litigation-related liabilities and regulatory engagement,” despite its “large and engaged user base.”
The company was sued by the mother of a 14-year-old boy who said her son became obsessed with one of its chatbots before dying by suicide. Character.AI also faces government investigations over child-safety concerns.
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