Character AI, a startup that allows users to chat with a variety of AI-powered characters, has introduced new games to its desktop and mobile web apps to boost user engagement. The game has been tested with paid subscribers and some users on the free plan.
Bringing new games to the platform
Character AI has released two games as part of this new initiative: Speakeasy and War of Words. These games are designed to allow users to chat with their favorite characters while providing a more interactive experience. Users can access the game by tapping the new controller icon in their browser while chatting with a character.
Speakeasy challenges players to make an AI chatbot say a specific word without using the five words listed. For example, to get a chatbot to say “croissant,” players must avoid using words like pastry, butter, bake, french, and flake. In War of Words, users duel characters in a five-round contest, with an AI referee deciding the winner after each round.
This feature is intended to make the platform more fun and engaging for users, providing an entertainment experience on top of the text-based interactions they already enjoy.
Shift to entertainment
A Character AI spokesperson said: “As an AI entertainment company, our goal is to find ways to make the Character AI experience even more fun and interesting. We are currently adding the ability to play with your favorite characters while maintaining the immersion that users love. It’s being tested.”
This marks a change for character AI, which has traditionally focused on text-based games such as popular space adventure games where users create characters. By introducing games, the company is positioning itself as an entertainment platform, similar to other platforms such as YouTube and Netflix, which have used games to increase engagement.
Changes in leadership and plans
Character AI has undergone several leadership changes in recent months. Co-founders Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas left the company to join Google. In response, Character AI appointed a former YouTube executive as chief product officer, and the company’s former general counsel Dominic Perera became interim CEO.
Character AI has already taken steps to ensure the safety of young users, such as implementing clearer labels for AI characters and introducing a time-out notification after 60 minutes of use. These moves are in response to lawsuits the company has faced, including concerns that AI characters could be mistaken for real people.
As Character AI continues to expand its services, the decision to test games on the platform is a strategic step to engage users for the long term. Users spend an average of 98 minutes in apps every day, according to analytics firm Sensor Tower, and these games could increase that engagement even further.
