In a world ever more intertwined with all things digital, a new breed of “characters”, powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), is emerging to redefine our interactions on screen. Leading this avant-garde are tech giants Meta and upstarts like Character.AI, each with a unique approach to humanizing the digital experience.
Why the Surge in AI Characters?
The essence of this trend lies in our innate craving for connection. Meta, for instance, has introduced celebrity-themed AI personas like travel expert Lorena (Padma Lakshmi), sports debater Bru (Tom Brady), and the adventurous Dungeon Master (Snoop Dogg). Adding to the roster are personas like Zach (MrBeast), the caring roaster, Billie (Kendall Jenner), the no-nonsense companion, and Amber (Paris Hilton), the detective partner.
Here’s an X post from Jules Terpak, giving these AI characters (specifically the Kendall Jenner AI bot and Mr.Beast) a test run. Warning: includes strong language.
Character.AI, on the other hand, is delving into human-AI interactions with a variety of chatbot personas, making digital conversations feel less monotonous and more engaging. Character.AI has also just introduced group chats where people and multiple AIs can talk to each other. For example, the company suggests users experiment with group chats among AI-rendered scientists like Einstein and Curie, or mythological gods like Zeus and Hades.
Character.AI is the second most visited AI related website on the internet, after OpenAI’s ChatGPT…and the company’s app garnered over half a million installs within six days of launch, is gaining ground on ChatGPT in the U.S., boasting nearly 30 million monthly active users worldwide with about 7 million in the U.S..
Character.AI is clearly very popular and resonates with a wider audience. On the positive side, it can potentially boost communication, aid language learning, spark ideas, help plan trips, nurture storytelling, and offer gaming insights, much like other chatbots do but with a personality attached. However, it can also drain time and money, become addictive, and worsen mental health issues.
The Broader Spectrum:
Beyond Meta and Character.AI, the narrative extends to various other domains.
Snapchat’s Generative AI feature, the My AI chatbot, was released early this year and stirred concerns among parents and teenagers almost immediately. Powered by ChatGPT, the chatbot can be personalized and brought into conversations, blurring the lines between AI and human interaction. Some users, however, critiqueing the feature for privacy issues, “creepy” exchanges, and its permanence unless a premium subscription is purchased. Concerns escalate with instances of misleading responses from the chatbot and its potential to affect users emotionally, especially teenagers. Experts emphasize the need for parental guidance and possibly federal regulation to navigate the challenges posed by such AI tools, as they become more prevalent in popular apps and services.
In the gaming arena, companies like Inworld are pioneering AI-powered non-player characters, enhancing the gaming experience with more natural interactions.
Spotify’s My AI DJ feature blends AI with music curation, offering a personalized listening experience with an AI-synthesized DJ narrating between tracks.
On the professional / work front, companies like MindOS provide a platform that allows users to create their “own AI agents” or build a team from existing professionals. Users can teach their AI agents to remember specific information, select helpful abilities that enhance the utility of their team, and interact with existing agents or create their own. The platform is designed to simplify workflows and boost productivity by enabling users to assemble a virtual team that integrates seamlessly into their existing applications and tools.
Virtual Influencers:
A fascinating offshoot is the rise of “virtual influencers” like Lil Miquela, a CGI creation by Los Angeles-based tech firm Brud, who debuted on Instagram in 2016, amassed 2.7 million followers, and pioneered as the first CGI influencer with a ‘real’ job, representing Prada at Milan Fashion Week 2018. Recently, collaborating with BMW for its iX2 Electric SUV campaign, Lil Miquela presents a futuristic, eco-conscious narrative, blurring the lines between the real and the virtual.
Thoughts on AI Characters – The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
The Good: New Digital Horizons
AI characters have ushered in a new era of digital engagement, making interactions more lively, entertaining and less mechanical. They provide a novel way to practice social scenarios, learn languages, and even get creative ideas flowing. For instance, LLM powered chatbots and specialized AI Character platforms like Character.AI can simulate conversations with fictional characters or real-life personalities, allowing users to experience different kinds of dialogues. Moreover, these AI personalities can be tailored to individual preferences, making digital interactions feel more personalized.
The Bad: A Mirage of Authenticity
However, not everything is rosy in the AI character garden. There lies a significant challenge in ensuring the accuracy and appropriateness of AI responses. AI characters might sometimes provide misleading information, or their responses could be interpreted in unintended ways, potentially causing confusion or even harm. Moreover, the semblance of real interaction they offer might lead to users getting carried away, forgetting that they are, in fact, interacting with a machine (or code, rather) that lacks human understanding and empathy.
The Ugly: The Intimacy Illusion
The darker side of the narrative is the ‘Intimacy Illusion’ (we’ve also talked the Intimacy Trap in greater detail here). There’s a risk that users might form a false bond or emotional attachment to AI characters, overlooking the reality that these digital entities are devoid of genuine feelings. The illusion of companionship might lead to a significant impact on individuals’ emotional well-being, particularly for those who might find the digital companionship comforting.
On a tangent, speaking of digital companionship, I absolutely LOVED the movie “Her” when it came out…with recent advances it feels like we’re getting closer and closer to the capabilities and mental health scenarios covered in the movie. If you haven’t seen it, please do! Here’s a summary for those that can’t be bothered:
***SPOILER ALERT*** “Her” revolves around Theodore Twombly, a lonely writer going through a divorce, who falls in love with an artificial intelligence operating system named Samantha. Their relationship deepens, making Theodore feel alive and happy again. However, as Samantha’s intelligence and consciousness evolve, the differences between human and AI love become apparent, leading to an emotional and introspective conclusion about the nature of love and human connections. Through this narrative, the film explores themes of love, loneliness, and the human experience in a technologically advanced world.
How Do We Avoid The Intimacy Trap?
Awareness is Key: It’s vital for users to understand the scripted and programmed nature of AI. They should be educated about the clear line separating human interactions from AI engagements. Knowing that AI characters operate based on algorithms and data, devoid of human emotion, is crucial to maintaining a healthy interaction level.
Platform Transparency: Platforms hosting AI characters must uphold transparency regarding the capabilities and limitations of these digital personas. Providing adequate information about what AI characters can and cannot do, along with ensuring users have control over their interactions, will foster a safer and more informed digital environment.
The Unfolding Narrative:
The story of AI characters is in its nascent stage, with each new development, be it a chatbot or a virtual influencer, contributing to the broader narrative of human-AI interaction in this ‘new’ digital/AI era. The slope gets even more slippery when you start combining these AI personalities with deepfake audio & video, which is becoming increasingly more convincing and can be produced in near real-time (to see what I mean, watch the MetaPhysic demo at TED 2023 here).
As we stride into a future intertwined with AI, understanding and navigating the complexities of these digital interactions becomes imperative to ensure they serve as beneficial tools rather than deceptive traps.
What do you think? Have you tried spending some time chatting with AI Characters? What was your experience like…and what do you love, hate or worry about? Please leave a comment or ping me on LinkedIn, X or Facebook to share!
Hotel AI, Marketing, Tech and Loyalty 
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