Shelly Palmer – Character.AI introduces voice calling

Character.AI has introduced a new feature that allows users to interact with AI avatars through voice calls in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Korean, Japanese and Chinese.

Why would you want to talk on the phone with a synthetic? Aside from entertainment, the company says practical applications could include voice practice, simulated interviews and enhancing role-playing experiences. (Incidentally, the phrase “voice call” feels downright archaic in 2024. It’s time we adapted our vocabulary to match our technology. Any suggestions are welcome.)

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 switch seamlessly between calls and texts, with a tap-pause option available to control the AI’s speech.

In March, Character.AI introduced Character Voices, which allow users to hear AI characters during one-on-one chats. Currently, the Character.AI library contains more than 1 million user-created voices.

Both Google and Meta are working on similar technologies, which is both exciting and scary. Character.AI’s stats speak for themselves. According to publicly available online stats, the 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 more than 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 statistics tell us? We need to redefine the term “authentic” in the marketing context. Is “authentic synthetic” an oxymoron or a new technical term? The world of communication is clearly reforming beneath our feet.

As always, your thoughts and comments are welcome and appreciated. Just reply to this email. -s