Character.AI has appointed Karandeep Anand, previously a VP at Meta, as its new CEO. Anand's experience in scaling products to billions of users is expected to drive the company's growth and strategic vision. He has also worked at Microsoft and Brex, bringing a wealth of experience in product development and technical leadership. Anand's focus will be on platform growth, improving AI memory and user experience, and platform stability. He aims to make the service more accessible while retaining its creative appeal.
This leadership change comes as Character.AI faces increasing scrutiny regarding child safety on the platform. The company has faced criticism and lawsuits over its handling of minors' safety and is actively working to bolster its safety measures. These include a separate model for teen users, improved detection and intervention systems, and parental insight features. The platform allows users to interact with AI-generated characters, offering both entertainment and potential risks, especially for younger users. The company is focused on implementing features that prioritise user safety and address concerns about inappropriate content and harmful interactions.
