Disney Forces Character.AI to Purge Iconic Chatbots
Oct/06/2025
Character.AI has removed popular Disney figures from its platform after receiving a cease-and-desist order from the entertainment giant, which accused the startup of exploiting its intellectual property and tarnishing its family-friendly image. The chatbot service—known for letting users interact with AI versions of public figures and fictional characters—had featured digital renditions of Mickey Mouse, Captain America, and other Disney-owned icons. In its letter, Disney alleged that Character.AI was "freeriding" on its brands and warned that some user-generated bots were "sexually exploitative" and "dangerous to children". The takedown underscores how entertainment conglomerates are moving aggressively to police their IP in the age of generative AI, where blurred boundaries between parody, fandom, and infringement are rife. Despite Disney’s success in this case, the platform still hosts characters tied to Disney-owned franchises like Percy Jackson and Hannah Montana, hinting at the limits of enforcement. The episode lands amid a broader surge in AI adoption: a May 2025 survey found ChatGPT remains the dominant tool among U.S. adults, with 80% citing it as their preferred AI assistant.
