AI-powered apps and chatbots have been cropping up left, right, and centre since the launch of OpenAI’s explosive ChatGPT in November 2022.
Powered by Large Language Models (LLMs), these tools can answer questions on almost any topic, generate essays in a matter of seconds, and even create code for developers.
One of the most well-known AI apps available today is Character.ai (c.ai). The app was launched at the end of 2022, and has become one of the most popular tools for young people looking to interact with AI chatbots. But what even is Character.ai? And how safe is it really?
This article delves deep into what Character.ai is and how it works while exploring whether it's safe to use the chatbot app in 2024.
What is Character AI?
Character.ai is a chatbot web application that uses advanced language models to have conversations with users. It allows users to interact with chatbots that mimic real people, including historical figures, fictional characters, or even celebrities.
You can speak to Elvis Presley about rock n roll, Steve Jobs about the iPhone, or even Spongebob about what it’s like to live under the sea. Of course, in real life, you’re not actually talking to them but an AI copy of their character and personality generated using AI.
Users can also create their own chatbots with specific personalities and traits, adding to the variety of characters available.
Character.ai is designed to provide human-like output, making the conversations feel like you’re talking to the real person or character it’s trying to imitate. The app uses deep learning to analyze vast amounts of text data and generate responses that feel natural.
How Does Character AI Work?
Character.ai works using an LLM that’s trained on massive amounts of text data, allowing the app to understand your questions and respond in a natural, human-like way.
But unlike traditional chatbots that follow pre-programmed scripts, c.ai makes use of the LLM's ability to predict and generate text to create characters that mimic the real-life person or character they’re imitating.
When you interact with a character, your message is first fed into c.ai’s LLM. This analyzes the words and considers the context of the conversation so far, as well as the character's defined personality.
Based on this information, the LLM then generates a response that it predicts would be most fitting for the character in that situation.
Character.ai also allows users to create their own characters or choose from existing ones. When creating a character, users can define its personality traits, background story, and even voice. This information is used by the language model to tailor its responses to better fit the specific character.
For instance, if you're chatting with a character designed to be a ‘witty teacher’, the LLM will generate a response that is both informative and laced with humor.
It's important to remember that c.ai, like any AI system, is under development. While the technology is impressive, it has limitations.
The AI may not always perfectly understand your intent or generate factually accurate information, so it may not work as well as it should from time to time.
Does Character AI Allow NSFW?
Character.ai does not allow ‘not safe for work’ (NSFW) content. Their policy strictly prohibits any sexually suggestive or explicit language, imagery, or topics. The platform also has strong filters in place to detect and prevent NSFW content from appearing in conversations.
While some methods circulate online that claim to bypass the filters, these methods are generally unreliable and can go against the platform's terms of service. It's best to stick to safe and appropriate topics when using Character.ai.
Some NSFW content might slip through the cracks if the AI misinterprets your prompt or hallucinates, but if you're looking for platforms that allow NSFW content, c.ai isn't the answer.
Is Character AI Free?
Character.ai is free to use for all users. This free service provides users with:
- Chatrooms with public characters.
- Tools for basic character creation.
- Access to free AI characters to chat with.
- Interactions between characters with the larger community.
However, the free version of c.ai does have its limitations. These include:
- A limit on the number of messages exchanged per day.
- Few customisation choices.
- No premium character access.
- Limited image generation capabilities.
- A maximum of five characters to create per day.
- Ads and promotion content.
What is Character AI+?
There is a paid plan of Character AI, known as c.ai+, which is priced at $9.99 per month. This subscription plan is the only paid option available, and offers users a more immersive experience.
Character.ai+ features:
- Access to an exclusive community channel.
- Skip waiting rooms during busy periods.
- Access to higher-level character AI templates.
- Faster response times.
- Extended storage for conversation history.
- AI voice features for voice-only interactions.
- No daily limits on custom character creation.
- Extended session times with characters.
- Ad-free experience.
Is Character AI Safe?
While c.ai is designed to be safe to use, its chatbots may misinterpret your intent or provide inaccurate or offensive information.
And since users can create their own characters, there's a chance of encountering inappropriate or explicit content despite the app’s ‘not safe for work’ (NSFW) filters. Because of this reason, it's not considered safe for work or for young children.
You should also avoid sharing sensitive or personal information with c.ai as you can’t stop any of its chatbots from storing information from chats.
Character.ai chats are also not encrypted, and the privacy policy suggests that company employees might be able to access chat logs for training purposes.
While they claim not to collect personal information from conversations, the extent to which chats are anonymized is unclear. This raises security concerns, especially if you are discussing sensitive topics.
It’s important to treat c.ai like any online interaction and avoid disclosing personal details like passwords or financial information. While the conversations may seem almost legitimate, it’s crucial to remember that it’s still an AI-powered chat. The LLM is responsible for the responses shared, and there may still be harmful content that’s sent during conversations, despite the platform’s efforts to protect users.
If teens are using c.ai, adult supervision is recommended to make sure they're interacting with appropriate characters and not sharing any private or sensitive information that could be unsafe to share.
Does Character AI Save Chats?
Yes, Character.ai does save your chat history. The app saves chats to allow you to pick up conversations with characters you've interacted with before. This allows for a more natural flow of conversation as the character can reference past interactions.
There is no clear information available on exactly how much data is stored or for how long as c.ai's privacy policy doesn't explicitly address chat history retention. But there's currently no built-in option for users to delete their chat history within Character.ai either.
If you’re worried about your privacy, it's important to be mindful of what information you share while using Character.ai. Keep interactions light, and avoid sharing sensitive information about yourself.
Apps Like Character AI
While c.ai is a great option for users looking to chat with different personas and characters, it might not always be the best platform for your needs. Limitations on chats, topics, customization, and even offline capabilities mean that users may want to look for other platforms.
Some apps like Character AI include:
- CHAI — an LLM which users interact with, through AI-generated characters. It’s also available as an app for smartphones.
- Replika — an AI-based companion that generates responses from a neural network machine learning model.
- Kajiwoto — similar to c.ai, Kajiwoto allows you to chat with AI-powered characters. The platform will “regularly save short-term memories and summarize long-term memories during conversation”.
- ChatFAI — an LLM that generates characters for you to chat with fictional characters, personas, or create a unique character for yourself.
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