Character.AI has unveiled a new feature that allows users to engage with AI avatars through voice calls in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese.
Why would you want to talk to a synthetic on the phone? Other than entertainment, the company says practical uses might include language practice, mock interviews, and enhancing role-playing game experiences. (BTW, saying “voice call” in 2024 feels downright archaic. It’s time we update our vocabulary to match our tech. All suggestions gladly accepted.)
Initiating a call with an AI character is straightforward; users can start with a simple tap. The platform ensures a smooth calling experience with reduced latency. Additionally, users can seamlessly switch between calling and texting, with a “Tap to interrupt” option available to manage the AI’s speech.
In March, Character.AI introduced Character Voices, allowing users to hear AI characters during one-on-one chats. Currently, there are more than 1 million user-created voices in the Character.AI library.
Both Google and Meta have similar tech in the works, which is both exciting and frightening. Character.AI’s stats are telling. According to publicly available online statistics, average time spent on Character.AI is 29:30 per visit with an average of 13.91 pages. I’ve seen estimates that the top quintile of users spend upwards of 2 hours per day on the platform. Unsurprisingly, 60 percent of the 50/50 male/female audience is 18-24 years old.
What do these stats tell us? We need to redefine the term “authentic” in the context of marketing. Is “authentic synthetic” an oxymoron, or a new term of art? The world of communications is clearly reforming under our feet.
Author’s note: This is not a sponsored post. I am the author of this article and it expresses my own opinions. I am not, nor is my company, receiving compensation for it. This work was created with the assistance of various generative AI models.