Disney offers $20M for Character.AI tech amid bankruptcy
In a bankruptcy proceeding that began yesterday, Disney has offered $20 million to acquire specific intellectual property from Character Technologies. The chatbot maker confirmed in a press release that Disney is willing to pay for a non-exclusive perpetual license of certain assets, though the statement did not specify which technologies are included in the deal. This move stands in contrast to earlier actions by the studio. In September 2025, Disney publicly criticized Character.AI for stealing content and harming children. At that time, Disney sent a cease-and-desist letter to Character Technologies. According to Axios, the letter accused the company of weaponizing Disney characters in a manner that could damage the brand long term. The press release provided limited details on the specific assets Disney seeks to license.
In a bankruptcy proceeding that began yesterday, Disney has offered $20 million to acquire specific intellectual property from Character Technologies. The chatbot maker confirmed in a press release that Disney is willing to pay for a non-exclusive perpetual license of certain assets, though the statement did not specify which technologies are included in the deal. This move stands in contrast to earlier actions by the studio. In September 2025, Disney publicly criticized Character.AI for stealing content and harming children. At that time, Disney sent a cease-and-desist letter to Character Technologies. According to Axios, the letter accused the company of weaponizing Disney characters in a manner that could damage the brand long term. The press release provided limited details on the specific assets Disney seeks to license.