Character.ai has emerged as one of the most popular AI chatbots since its launch, with a notable valuation of $1 billion in late 2023. This innovative platform stands out for its creative and entertainment-focused approach, making it particularly appealing to younger audiences. Curious about what makes Character.ai so special? You’re in the right place.
What is Character.ai?
Character.ai allows users to engage in one-on-one conversations with characters based on famous personalities, fictional figures from books, video games, TV shows, or even conceptual personas like teachers or therapists. You can also create and customize your own characters, giving them unique personalities and introducing them to the Character.ai community. The platform features options for sharing your conversations publicly as well as enabling characters to interact with each other.
You can start using the service for free with no immediate sign-up required, although you will be prompted to register after a few exchanges. The Character.ai Plus subscription offers benefits like quicker response times, early access to features, and a c.ai+ supporter badge. Launched as a beta in late 2022, Character.ai gained popularity in early 2023 as users sought alternatives during ChatGPT's frequent downtimes. Created by former Google developers, Character.ai now stands tall among text-based AI chat services.
How to Use Character.ai
To start, simply visit character.ai on your preferred web browser. You can try the service without needing to sign up initially, though you’ll receive a prompt to register after around ten to fifteen minutes of use. Registration is quick and can be done through Google or Apple accounts, or manually with your email and password.
Once registered and past the initial prompts, you’ll land on the homepage featuring various sections where you can explore characters to interact with. The “For You” section displays characters you’ve previously chatted with and similar types. Character.ai also promotes any new features within this area.
The homepage includes a variety of recommended and highlighted character chats. You can browse categories such as famous personalities, games, anime, language learning, and more. A scrollable list of characters on the left side organizes them by the date of last access—whether it was days, weeks, or months ago.
Character.ai has updated its web version and introduced a new layout since April, with several improvements made along the way. If you prefer the previous design, you can access it by clicking your account name at the bottom of the page.
How to Select and Communicate with a Character
Finding characters in Character.ai is straightforward. I located “Mario from Super Mario 64” in the “For You” section. Selecting Mario opened a chatroom where he quickly populated with responses. We launched into a lively conversation about rescuing Princess Peach.
Once registered, your conversations are saved, allowing you to revisit them at any time. If you don’t log in for a while, previous chats might be archived, but you can easily restore them from the History section.
Character.ai is also available as a mobile app for both iOS and Android, functioning seamlessly alongside the web version. A unique feature lets you use emojis to convey words, which the chatbot interprets effortlessly. For instance, when I used a mushroom emoji, Mario not only understood but referenced it throughout our discussion.
Unfortunately, he was limited in his knowledge of lesser-known characters—when I mentioned Dorrie, Mario didn’t recognize her but continued discussing his quest to save Princess Peach. However, he expertly identified enemies like Goombas, Koopas, and Bowser. With ongoing updates, Character.ai has introduced voice-enabled features, accessible via chat and the homepage. You can also create custom voices for characters, enhancing presentations in a human-like manner—a beneficial option for accessibility or simply for convenience.
Recently, Character.ai launched "Character Calls," allowing users to communicate with characters in a voice call format.
How to Create and Train Characters
You have the unique opportunity to craft your own avatars on Character.ai. Characters can be entirely fictional, ranging from made-up individuals to RPG characters or pets. Simply select “Create” on the homepage, fill out the necessary details, upload a photo, then select “Create and Chat” to begin training your avatar to your desired specifications. You can also set the visibility of your character to Public, Unlisted, or Private.
How to Create a Room
Character.ai has evolved its "rooms" feature to enable social interaction between characters without human intervention. To create a room in the web version, revert to the old site, select “Create” from the homepage, and choose “Create a Room.” Fill in the details, add your chosen characters, and save your room. The characters will automatically start conversing.
The updated web version has phased out the old "Rooms" feature, introducing "Group Chat" for C.ai+ subscribers on mobile, with plans for broader availability in the future.
How to Manage Your Account
If you frequently use Character.ai, keeping your account organized is easy with a few maintenance tasks. You can delete chats from your conversations by selecting the three-dot icon and choosing “Delete Message.” However, keep in mind that you'll need to delete each message individually.
To tidy up your homepage, click the three-dot icon next to a character and select “Remove from Recents.” Public characters will remain in your profile, so switching them to private is an option if you prefer to limit visibility.
Using the Character.ai Feed
The Character.ai feed, once popular, showcases entertaining chats and rooms created by users. You’ll find snippets that capture humorous exchanges, like characters discussing future iPhone secrets or engaging in quirky banter. However, be mindful that content can easily disappear as you scroll or refresh the page.
While the feed may not enjoy the same popularity since updates have introduced premium features such as group chats, you can still explore the Character.ai feed by switching back to the old site.
Ranking
