Disney Appoints Karandeep Anand as First-Ever CTO

Key Takeaways

• <ul><li>Disney appointed Karandeep Anand, formerly CEO of Character.AI, as its first company-wide CTO; he will report directly to CEO Josh D'Amaro on October 2</li><li>The Ninth Circuit ruled AI coding tools do not violate the DMCA's copyright management information provision, protecting AI training on publicly available code under fair use</li><li>A Harvard Crimson survey found 64% of professors believe AI negatively affects teaching, up from 42% the previous year</li><li>Dallas's AI camera program on trash trucks scanned 10,000 properties, yielding 3,700 code violations and 57 citations at a cost of $852,000 per year</li><li>City Councilman Chad West noted 70% of citations from the AI camera program came from predominantly African American neighborhoods</li><li>Rep. Jamie Raskin uses LegiScan to draft bills and AI Songwriter for birthday songs, while Rep. Ocasio-Cortez expresses skepticism about AI's potential to manipulate public opinion</li><li>The IN AI Roadshow at the University of Notre Dame on September 18 helped South Bend businesses learn practical AI applications</li><li>ChoiceLight CEO Regina Emberton demonstrated how AI helped create a survey in minutes during the IN AI Roadshow</li><li>AI use among Harvard professors was highest in computer science at 75% compared to 25% in humanities</li><li>Some Character.AI technical staff are expected to follow Karandeep Anand to Disney</li></ul>

Disney names Karandeep Anand as first-ever Chief Technology Officer

Walt Disney Co. named Karandeep Anand as its first company-wide chief technology officer. Anand was previously CEO of Character.AI, a chatbot service. He will report to CEO Josh D'Amaro and oversee technology infrastructure, data and AI platforms. Disney's new CEO has made harnessing technology a priority for the company.

Disney appoints AI leader Karandeep Anand as CTO

The Walt Disney Company named Character.AI CEO Karandeep Anand as its first company-wide chief technology officer. Anand will join Disney on October 2 and report directly to CEO Josh D'Amaro. He will oversee technology infrastructure, data and AI platforms, and product teams. Several members of Character.AI's technical staff are also expected to follow him to Disney.

The AI slowdown is really an antitrust problem

AI labs calling their efforts a slowdown may face years of regulatory problems. The term suggests they are taking a break, but they are actually trying to avoid stricter security standards. Regulators can see through this framing. The slowdown is a deliberate choice that could lead to stronger regulations and lost public trust.

US Venezuela takeover raises concerns about Chinese AI surveillance

The US government took control of Venezuela, raising concerns about Chinese AI surveillance technology. Experts worry the US could install Chinese surveillance tech in the country. This could impact human rights and be used to suppress dissent. The US denied plans to install such technology but committed to supporting the people of Venezuela.

Ninth Circuit rules in favor of AI training in DMCA case

The Ninth Circuit ruled that AI coding tools do not violate the DMCA's copyright management information provision. The court rejected the idea that outputting similar code without attribution is illegal. The decision protects AI training on publicly available code under fair use. However, AI-generated code can still face copyright scrutiny in other circumstances.

IN AI Roadshow brings AI training to South Bend businesses

The IN AI Roadshow visited South Bend on September 18 at the University of Notre Dame. Local businesses learned how to use AI in their daily work. ChoiceLight CEO Regina Emberton shared how AI helped create a survey in minutes. Some attendees expressed concerns about AI safety. Students also benefited through the AI Leaders of Tomorrow program.

Congress members use AI for bills and birthday songs

Some members of Congress use AI tools in their work. Rep. Jamie Raskin uses LegiScan to help draft bills and AI Songwriter for birthday songs. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is skeptical and worries AI could manipulate public opinion. The debate over AI use in Congress continues as members weigh benefits against risks.

Chicken Little, fear and the stock market

A columnist shared the story of Chicken Little as a lesson about fear and investing. The article appeared in the Knoxville News Sentinel on September 18, 2026. The author connected the classic fable to how people react to scary news about the market. The full details of the investment advice were not included in the excerpt.

Harvard professors say AI is hurting their courses

A Harvard Crimson survey found 64% of professors believe AI negatively affects teaching, up from 42% the year before. Only 22% saw a positive impact, down from 30%. The survey included 150 professors in spring 2022. AI use was highest in computer science at 75% compared to 25% in humanities.

AI cameras on Dallas trash trucks issue thousands of notices

Dallas has used AI-powered cameras from City Detect on trash trucks since early 2026. The cameras scanned 10,000 properties and found 3,700 code violations with 57 citations at 34 properties. The program costs taxpayers $852,000 a year. City Councilman Chad West raised privacy concerns and noted 70% of citations came from predominantly African American neighborhoods.

Sources

• Disney Names AI Executive as First-Ever Chief Technology Officer
• Disney Appoints AI Evangelist Karandeep Anand As CTO
• The AI ‘Slowdown’ Is an Antitrust Mess
• USA’s Venezuela takeover comes with bonus exposure to Chinese AI surveillance tech
• Doe v. Github: The Ninth Circuit saves AI Training in DMCA Case
• IN AI Roadshow makes its way to South Bend
• From drafting bills to writing birthday songs: How Congress is using AI
• Chicken Little, fear and the stock market
• Two-Thirds of Harvard Professors Say AI Is Hurting Their Courses
• AI-powered cameras on Dallas trash trucks result in almost 4,000 notices, 57 citations