Character.AI: What it is and how to use it
Fanfiction is nothing new, but the rise of AI has the potential to take it to a whole new level.
The first indication of that has been the popularity of Character.AI, an artificial intelligence experience that mimics conversations with your favorite characters, be they fictional, historical, or completely new to the world. So, how does the site work, and how can you start creating? We've got you covered in this quick guide.
What is Character.AI?
Character.AI is a site that uses a neural language model to reads huge amounts of text and respond to prompts using that information. Anyone can create a character on the site, and they can be fictional or based on real people, dead or alive. For example, a quick search of the website shows that users have made characters of Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, and Napoleon Bonaparte. You can chat with one character at a time or organize a group chat with multiple characters so they talk to each other, and you, all at once.
SEE ALSO:OpenAI launches an iOS app for ChatGPTCharacter.AI is free to use, but a premium offering called c.ai+ gives you perks, like priority access to chats and faster response times from characters as well as early access to new features.
How do I find and chat with a specific character?
On Character.AI, search for the name of a character or for the media (book, TV series, film, etc.) they're associated with. The search results will usually show the best matches based on your keywords, with the most-chatted-with characters toward the top.
SEE ALSO:New AI tool lets you reshape images by clicking and draggingClick the character you want to chat with, and a window will open. The character will introduce themselves first, then you can get to gabbing. When the character responds to you, you can rate their reply on a scale of one to four to help the language model refine the accuracy of the character's replies over time.
Don't love the way the character replied to your question? You can review multiple responses by clicking the arrow next to their reply. The site also encourages you to rate any replies you find offensive with one star.
And, by the way, creators can never see the conversations that you have with their characters.
Click the arrow (circled in green) to the right of a character's reply to see alternate responses.Credit: Character.AIA microphone button in the chat enables speech-to-text generation, so you can speak aloud and have your words be sent over the chat. Character.AI says the text-to-speech on the character side (meaning, the character would speak back to you) is still in the works, though character creators can currently choose a spoken voice for their character in the advanced settings section of the creation process.
How do I create a character?
Click the "create" button on the Character.AI homepage and select "create a character." You'll enter the name of the character you're creating, plus a short greeting they'll send at the start of every new chat. For example, a Hermione Granger character I chatted with opened with "I am Hermione, with whom am I speaking?" and then went on to a longer greeting about being a Hufflepuff student (more on that later), her personality traits, and what she likes to do when she's not studying.
You can also add a photo of your character and choose whether or not you want your character to be able to generate images in their text chats. Finally, pick who can talk to your character: anyone, anyone with the link, or just you.
Related Stories
- What the hell is the Omegaverse, and why is it all over TikTok?
- ChatGPT essays and more: How teachers and schools are dealing with AI writing
- 5 ChatGPT plugins that do what they promise
- How AI tools like ChatGPT can combat ADHD paralysis
- ChatGPT could be a useful AI tool. So how are we regulating it?
There are also advanced settings available for tweaking, like relevant tags and keywords, and picking the speaking voice for your character from a long drop down menu. You can also enter sample chats to help the model understand the character's personality and behavior. Over time, your character will evolve based on the model's understanding of your character's attributes, its review of rating feedback from chats, and its analysis of chat topics.
Character.AI provides an official guide on character creation called the Character Book, which can be accessed by clicking this link.
What should I keep in mind when using Character.AI?
As with all AI models, Character.AI should be used cautiously, and with the knowledge that it's still a work in progress. Characters might say things that are hurtful, untrue, or even offensive. Plus, the characters are created by people like you and me, not by the people who gave them life in literature or media. That means even the most well-known characters may not be faithful to their source text.
For example, the most-chatted-with Hermione character on the platform told me confidently that she was a Hufflepuff even though Hermione is, famously, a Gryffindor. When I called the character out on that, it doubled down. "I often get this reaction but I am most certainly in Hufflepuff," it wrote. "I share the same values as Hufflepuff, being loyal, dedicated and fair... My ambition is to do well at Hogwarts and make something of myself, which I believe is a common trait of Hufflepuffs." You know what's not a Hufflepuff trait? Lying.
TopicsArtificial IntelligenceFandom
-
I Deleted All My Social Accounts: Three Weeks Without Social Media挖掘文化魅力 增强文化实力 延伸文化内涵Pompeo calls for collective efforts to safeguard Strait of Hormuz: Seoul officialApple event kicks off with touching Steve Jobs tribute一针一线串起两代人的传承故事Teen who narrowly avoided being eaten by a crocodile did it all for loveTed Cruz’s speech gave antiChemical process converts plastic into jet fuel ingredients in an hourSports minister says audits into football, badminton federations set to conclude in Sept.World's largest off
- ·How 3D Game Rendering Works: Texturing
- ·Heavy snowfall hinders search efforts for 4 missing S. Korean trekkers in Himalayas
- ·Leeds remove cardboard cutout of bin Laden from stands
- ·French 'Spider Man' returns, scales one of London's tallest buildings without a rope
- ·Best smartphone deal: Google Pixel 8a on sale for $449 at Amazon
- ·Green ammonia: The rocky pathway to a new clean fuel
- ·不产茶的芳村,何以成为中国茶叶华尔街?
- ·How to make Australian trolls angry: Tell them their country isn't real
- ·NYT mini crossword answers for August 29
- ·We finally really did it. You maniacs. You blew it up.
- ·The Monday Slatest newsletter.
- ·Chinese giant CATL launches a commercial salt
- ·Understanding Relational vs. Non
- ·New polymer prevents cracks appearing in long
- ·S. Korea, US end 2nd day of defense cost
- ·iPhone 8 leaks prove it: Steve Jobs' classic Apple surprises are over
- ·World's first green ammonia plant is now open for business
- ·'Sesame Street' has brilliantly trolled Donald Trump for decades
- ·Stephen King is letting these kids make a film adaption of his story for $1
- ·最新研究首次证实!新会陈皮提取物可缓解慢阻肺病样病理改变
- ·Weather update for second Pak vs Ban second Test match day one
- ·点亮微心愿 太平爱传递
- ·[ANALYSIS] N. Korea fires missile, artillery shells, inflaming tensions
- ·The Apple Watch Series 3 is here, has cellular connectivity, and is kinda boring
- ·Apple Intelligence is now a little easier to get outside the U.S.
- ·Green ammonia: The rocky pathway to a new clean fuel
- ·Alcaraz, Sinner survive US Open wobbles
- ·快评丨券商违法“自罚三杯”,这是拿法律当儿戏
- ·N. Korea could conduct 2 or 3 consecutive nuclear tests: Seoul official
- ·图集丨柯木塱领衔,全省16个会场活力登场
- ·Spate of defections show Kim Jong
- ·Trump adviser Lt. Gen. Flynn apologizes for retweeting anti
- ·How to be an ally who stands with transgender people
- ·The GOP refuses to talk about the Supreme Court at the RNC.
- ·Tesla Robotaxis aren't coming in August, it seems
- ·iPhone 8 leaks prove it: Steve Jobs' classic Apple surprises are over