The recent Wordle phenomenon has shown us that a simple puzzle and a dash of distraction can offer a refreshing break from our everyday routines. Enter Character.AI, a chatbot platform that merges our love for word games with an added twist of AI-driven competition.
Your Favorite AI Characters Can Be Your New Daily Game Opponents
In a crowded marketplace of AI services, new companies must differentiate themselves. Character.AI, a budding competitor to giants like OpenAI, has carved out its niche by focusing on digital characters that you can either select or create for chatting. Now, it’s taken a significant leap by adding word games to its offerings.
While Character.AI is tapping into our fascination with games like The New York Times’ Wordle and Connections, it’s important to remember that these games thrive on competition. Your opponents in this scenario? AI characters.
As of now, Character.AI’s mobile and web apps feature two games: Speakeasy and War of Words.
According to a report by TechCrunch, the games are currently available only to paid subscribers and a select group of free users.
Speakeasy
In Speakeasy, your goal is to prompt the AI chatbot to use a specific word without resorting to five related terms. This is reminiscent of the board game Taboo, where you might need to get your partner to say “brie” while avoiding words like “cheese,” “creamy,” “milk,” “dairy,” and “cow.” The added challenge is that the chatbot stays in character and communicates in a defined manner.
War of Words
On the other hand, War of Words lacks the camaraderie; it’s a verbal melee against an AI chatbot. An AI referee evaluates your arguments against those of the chatbot, deciding the winner of each round. While it’s unclear how fair an AI referee can be when judging a human versus an AI opponent, this game could provide valuable debate practice.
The Limits of AI Chatbots
The addition of these games may be Character.AI’s strategy to re-engage users after the platform’s significant removal of copyrighted characters in November 2024. Futurism reported that the company cited the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) as the reason for this mass removal.
After the platform’s much-loved characters from the Harry Potter universe were taken down, rumors circulated about a potential conflict with Warner Bros. Discovery. However, Character.AI did not confirm that any such dispute triggered their decision to eliminate these chatbots.
This is likely to remain a challenge for a platform that encourages user-generated content, as there will always be loopholes to exploit. For instance, a bot named “the boy who lived” managed to survive the initial character purge. With fandom playing a crucial role in attracting users to this AI platform, it’s only natural that many would feel disappointed by the new restrictions.
While names protected by the DMCA may no longer be available, there are still plenty of entertaining options on Character.AI, including historical figures, bots that provide educational content, and now these new games. Additionally, it’s hard to predict what Character.AI has planned for the future. If these games prove popular, the platform might develop more and even extend game access to free users.
