Character.AI users are now able to talk with digital avatars over calls ... and the avatars will talk back.
Described by the company as “like having a phone call with a friend,” the Character Calls solution promises a “seamless” two-way voice conversation with an AI avatar of the user’s choosing.
The feature is now generally available on Character.AI’s app, and will support multiple languages including English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese.
The AI avatars are generated by users, who can begin a conversation with their desired Character with a single tap of a button.
In discussing the possible uses for the Character Calls feature, Charcater.AI outlines improving language skills, practicing for job interviews, and deploying them within role-playing games.
However, in an un-authored blog on the company’s website, Character.AI emphasized that there are no limitations to where and how the tool can be used:
At Character.AI, our mission is to create immersive and personalized AI experiences that seamlessly integrate into any moment of your daily life.
“Whether it's morning motivation or evening relaxation, our team is dedicated to making AI accessible and intuitive, one advancement at a time. Character Calls represents a significant milestone in our journey towards, enhancing where, when, and how you can interact with Characters.”
The company also outlined the following additional Character Calls’ capabilities:
- Experience minimal waiting with reduced latency for smoother interactions.
- Interrupt conversations instantly with a simple tap.
- Choose from characters with a variety of voices, accents, and personalities.
- Communicate with your character through text.
- Seamlessly switch between texting and talking to keep the conversation dynamic.
An Avalanche of Avatars
While Character.AI’s latest enhancement helps to strengthen its position as one of the major AI avatar innovators in the sector, plenty of others are also making moves.
Indeed, in a recent interview with The Verge, Zoom CEO Eric Yuan suggested that his company may also be about to enter the AI avatar space.
In discussing the workplace benefits of AI, Yuan mentions the idea of advanced digital avatars that can accurately replicate a worker’s image, voice, and decision-making capabilities.
The CEO envisages a world where these avatars would be able to essentially automate people’s jobs, freeing them up to focus on more important matters, such as spending time with family and pursuing other interests/hobbies, as Yuan quips:
I truly hate reading email every morning, and ideally, my AI version for myself reads most of the emails.
Elsewhere, OpenAI has announced that additional features to ChatGPT Voice Mode will be “rolling out in the coming weeks.”
