Genies, the avatar technology company, has raised $150 million in funding from notable investors including Silver Lake, former Disney CEO Bob Iger, and Mary Meeker. The investment reflects a shared vision between Iger and Genies CEO Akash Nigam: that the future of entertainment lies in interactive, AI-driven characters.
Nigam argues that what Genies is building today resembles the future state of Disney—not the current theme park giant, but a next-generation platform where users can create and interact with personalized characters. Iger, who spent decades building Disney's character franchise machine, sees the potential in Genies' approach: using AI and proprietary IP data to create compelling, scalable digital personas.
Genies' platform is set to launch for general users before the end of May, with Q3 marking a key inflection point. The technology enables brands, games, and corporations to deploy AI avatars that fans can genuinely connect with, potentially revolutionizing digital identity and interaction.
For more details, watch the full episode of the AI XR Podcast.