Character.AI enhances its chatbots with the addition of new games.
For those moments when you don't want to interact with an artificial intelligence, just destroy it in a word game.
Character.AI, the platform designed for interacting with different artificial intelligence characters, has introduced a new option for those seeking activities beyond simple conversations. Currently, the website and mobile app are experimenting with games, allowing users to engage in entertaining word competitions with famous authors like Shakespeare, rather than just discussing their sonnets.
Subscribers and a growing number of free users can access the first two games. If these are well-received, more will likely be added in the future. The games are Speakeasy and War of Words, both created to transform friendly chats with chatbots into challenging competitions of wit and verbal creativity.
In Speakeasy, the goal is to trick the chatbot into saying a specific word while avoiding the use of five forbidden words. For example, one might try to make it say "croissant" without mentioning terms like butter, French, or flaky. This game combines strategy and luck. On the other hand, War of Words pits the player in a verbal duel against the chosen character, with an impartial AI referee deciding who presents the best arguments over five rounds, similar to rap battles but with a more intellectual twist.
To keep things organized, Character.AI suggests starting a new chat for these games, so that previous conversations with favorite bots remain unaffected. This allows a philosophical debate with the AI version of Aristotle to go uninterrupted by the results of a defeat in a word battle against a virtual Napoleon. However, it's important to note that many favorite characters, protected by copyright and trademarks, are not available to participate.
The implementation of these new games seems to indicate that Character.AI is aiming to position itself as a center of entertainment, not just a place for chatbots. Users have already developed their own games, including text adventures and chess. By creating their own games, the company maintains control and can better leverage its knowledge about what chatbots can do.
While the addition of games may seem like a small advancement, it suggests where AI chatbot platforms could be headed in the future. As people move beyond the initial fascination with basic interactions, they seek more exciting activities. Playing word games against an AI appears to be a more engaging alternative than just having trivial chats.
Moreover, the inclusion of these games could represent a subtle shift in perception about Character.AI, especially after the company felt compelled to implement several rounds of new safety features, mainly aimed at protecting children, following accusations that chatbots were negatively affecting teenagers' mental health. Now, instead of artificial romances, users can try to outsmart an AI in War of Words.
