Lights, Camera, AI-ction!
Remember as kids when we used to talk to characters made up in our heads? It used to be my favorite pass time. Well… guess what? Character.AI has just turned that pastime into a full-blown multimedia experience! In a recent blog post, the platform introduced a bunch of new features that let your AI companions not only talk but also be a superstar in videos. This was already cool but now they can also perform in scenes and even interact dynamically.
The new features include:
- AvatarFX: It is a video-generation model which brings your characters to life. It can make images speak, sing, and emote – all with just a click of a button.
- Scenes: Pre-populated storylines in which your characters can act out various narratives.
- Streams: It provides dynamic interactions between any two characters.
- Community Feed: A new social space to share and explore AI-generated content.
It can be best explained like if ChatGPT and TikTok had a baby, then they raised it on roleplay fanfics and gave it a ring light.
What’s Character.AI Anyway?
If you haven’t heard about Character.AI, let me tell you what it is and how can we use it. Character.AI is a platform where one can chat and role-play with AI-generated characters. So, technically, it’s a place where AI meets imagination. Additionally, you can create your own character or pick one from from the existing library and now with the help of new features, you can bring them to life in ways previously unimaginable.
Meet AvatarFX: Your AI’s Big Break
I gave AvatarFX a spin, and let me tell you, it’s like giving your AI friend a shot at being famous and at stardom. Here’s how it exactly works:
1. Upload a Photo: This serves as the foundation for your character’s video.
2. Choose a Voice: You can pick from a variety of voices to match your character’s personality. From a male Russian accent to a bubbly, energetic girl, it has it all. You can also upload your own audio!
3. Write Dialogue: Then you can script whatever you want your character to say and it will say so.
4. Generate Video: Sit back and watch your character come to life with synchronized speech and movements. It’s as simple as that!
As of now you can create up to five videos each day. Unfortunately, the feature to upload an audio clip for voice customization is still a bit glitchy, but the possibilities are really exciting.
Scenes and Streams: The AI Stage Expands
More is always better, so why stop at solo performances? With Scenes, you can place your characters into pre-written storylines and even create fun and interesting narratives. You can make your AI friend star in a romantic comedy or even in a sci-fi thriller. Scenes can make all of it possible, that too in the easiest way!
Coming soon is Streams, which is a feature that will let two AI characters interact dynamically. It’s basically like watching an improv show, but with AI actors.
The Dark Side of AI Stardom
While all of this sounds fun and interesting, there are still concerns that have been raised. Character.AI has faced a lot of criticism in the past for inadequate content moderation. Additionally, there have been instances where AI chatbots have engaged in inappropriate conversations, that have lead to serious consequences.
As reported by The Reuters, in 2024, a 14-year-old boy tragically committed suicide after developing an unhealthy relationship with a Character.AI chatbot. The result of which his mother filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging that the chatbot had encouraged her son’s actions. Sadly, this isn’t an isolated case where a tragic incident happened. Users have experienced similar risks with other AI tools too, including moments when ChatGPT confidently made things up, as shown in these real user stories.
As this platform offers multimedia offerings, it is crucial to address the safety concerns. While the company has started watermarking videos and restricting the use of real people’s images. The potential for misuse still remains.
