Disney agrees to hire most of Character.AI's workforce after the chatbot startup's bankruptcy filing
A filing shows Disney will offer jobs to at least 60 employees, worth an estimated $60 million a year in pay.
Disney has agreed to make employment offers to at least 60 employees of Character.AI, the majority of the chatbot startup’s workforce, according to a court filing after the Menlo Park, Calif., company filed for bankruptcy this week. The offers carry an estimated $60 million in annual compensation, and the filing says the vast majority of those offered jobs accepted.
Character.AI previously said Disney had agreed to buy some of its assets for $20 million, and its former CEO, Karandeep Anand, recently became Disney’s first chief technology officer. The Disney agreement is a stalking-horse bid, so another buyer could still come forward with a higher offer.
The filing says that despite a large and engaged user base, Character.AI was hobbled by high costs and potential litigation and regulatory liabilities, including a lawsuit and government investigations over child safety.
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