Character.AI launches group chat feature, redefining conversations with AI companions

Character.AI, the innovative AI chatbot startup, backed by a16z and founded by former Google AI researchers, continues to redefine the conversational landscape with its latest feature for subscribers. This groundbreaking chatbot platform enables users to craft bespoke AI companions with distinct personalities and capabilities.

The company's new offering, known as ‘Character Group Chat,’ ushers in a new era of group interactions, allowing users and their friends to engage with multiple AI characters simultaneously.

 A social experience like no other

Character Group Chat transcends the boundaries of conventional group conversations, enabling users to curate a chat environment that can include only AI characters or a fusion of humans and AI companions.

This feature facilitates social connections, idea-sharing, and real-time collaboration, with AI companions playing a pivotal role in the exchange.

Imagine a group chat where AI scientists and thinkers, such as Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, Nikola Tesla, and Stephen Hawking, engage in intellectual discussions. Alternatively, users can create a chatroom with mythological gods like Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon for a unique twist.

The possibilities are limitless, as AI companions enrich discussions and broaden horizons. For more practical applications, users can form group chats centred around specific topics or themes, such as travel, gaming, book clubs, or role-playing.

AI companions can serve as facilitators, enhancing the conversation and making it more engaging and informative.

A paid experience with the future in mind

While integrating AI chatbots into group chats is not exclusive to Character.AI, the startup has demonstrated its dedication to innovation and quality.

Snapchat's My AI chatbot and Meta's AI-powered bots may offer similar features, but Character.AI's vision for AI companions has garnered substantial support. The company's recent $150 million Series A funding underscores the immense potential of AI companions.

Character.AI is introducing the Group Chat feature exclusively to c.ai+ subscribers, who pay $9.99 per month. C.ai+ members enjoy privileges like skipping waiting queues, faster message generation, and exclusive access to a community channel for feedback and support.

Character.AI plans to make this feature available to the general public in the future. At launch, the Character Group Chat feature is accessible through the Character.AI mobile app on iOS and Android, with plans to expand to the web.

The company's rapid growth, with over half a million installs in the first six days, and an estimated 30 million monthly active users globally, confirms the appetite for AI companions in today's digital landscape.

With a lifetime gross in-app purchase revenue of $1.3 million, Character.AI's innovative journey is just beginning, promising a future where AI companions redefine our interactions and conversations.