Character AI reveals new AI video maker, bringing us one step closer to video chatbots
Imagine an AI video chatbot you can interact with in real-time. Or if you could generate a custom "skin" for Siri, Gemini, or ChatGPT, anthropomorphizing these chatbots in a whole new way. This week, the internet moved one step closer to that reality.
On Monday, April 21, Character.AI revealed AvatarFX, a new AI video generation tool that will allow users to create realistic, long-form video from 2D images, the company said in a blog post. Character.AI users can apply for early access to AvatarFX now. The product is in private beta for now, with an exact launch date yet to be announced.
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Character.AI has more than 10 million "AI characters" that users can chat and roleplay with in real-time. Now, with AvatarFX, users can "make images come to life — and speak, sing, and emote — all with the click of a button." Character.AI promises that users will even be able to generate long-form videos with these characters. For now, users can't interact with their creations in real-time, but it's not hard to imagine that becoming a standard feature for AI chatbots in the very near future.
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Do you want your AI chatbot to be a beautiful man or woman? A sci-fi-style robot companion? A vaguely erotic centaur?
Character.AI is already showing off the capabilities of its new tool, including some videos that will make AI critics very depressed. Not only do the sample videos include a controversial Studio Ghibli-style video podcast, but also a video based on Al Pacino in Scarface and a popular portrait of Albert Einstein.
To prevent deepfakes, the company has put several safety measures in place, including a watermark that will be applied to all videos. In the blog post announcing the new tool, the company outlined a "one-strike policy" for users who violate the terms of service, which "prohibit impersonation, bullying, deepfakes, and use of protected IP without permission."
Interested users can head to the AI chat site to join the waitlist for the AvatarFX beta.
Topics Artificial Intelligence
Timothy Beck Werth is the Tech Editor at Mashable, where he leads coverage and assignments for the Tech and Shopping verticals. Tim has over 15 years of experience as a journalist and editor, and he has particular experience covering and testing consumer technology, smart home gadgets, and men’s grooming and style products. Previously, he was the Managing Editor and then Site Director of SPY.com, a men's product review and lifestyle website. As a writer for GQ, he covered everything from bull-riding competitions to the best Legos for adults, and he’s also contributed to publications such as The Daily Beast, Gear Patrol, and The Awl.
Tim studied print journalism at the University of Southern California. He currently splits his time between Brooklyn, NY and Charleston, SC. He's currently working on his second novel, a science-fiction book.
