Disney offers $20M for Character.AI’s scandal-plagued chatbot tech
Disney may acquire tech from one of the first chatbot makers linked to child suicide.
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/10/disney-offers-20m-for-character-ais-scandal-plagued-chatbot-tech/?utm_brand=arstechnica&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social
@arstechnica
So it's fine to claim copyright violations, stress the company to the point of bankruptcy, then press for cheap sale of the tech? Why would anyone do business the normal way if you can just lawyer the competition into oblivion while avoiding the liability from other claimants?
@arstechnica Disney called Character.AI’s use of its characters harmful to children and damaging to its brand. Now it wants the technology for $20M.
Is this a genuine opportunity to build safer AI entertainment, or proof that corporate outrage has limits when valuable technology is on the table?
The real test is what Disney does with user safety and private chat data, not just what it pays for the tech.