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Shelly Palmer - Character.AI Introduces Voice Calls

Shelly Palmer has been named LinkedIn’s “Top Voice in Technology,” and writes a popular daily business blog.
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Why would you want to talk to a synthetic on the phone?

Character.AI has unveiled a new feature that allows users to engage with AI avatars through voice calls in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese.

Why would you want to talk to a synthetic on the phone? Other than entertainment, the company says practical uses might include language practice, mock interviews, and enhancing role-playing game experiences. (BTW, saying "voice call" in 2024 feels downright archaic. It's time we update our vocabulary to match our tech. All suggestions gladly accepted.)

Initiating a call with an AI character is straightforward; users can start with a simple tap. The platform ensures a smooth calling experience with reduced latency. Additionally, users can seamlessly switch between calling and texting, with a “Tap to interrupt” option available to manage the AI’s speech.

In March, Character.AI introduced Character Voices, allowing users to hear AI characters during one-on-one chats. Currently, there are more than 1 million user-created voices in the Character.AI library.

Both Google and Meta have similar tech in the works, which is both exciting and frightening. Character.AI's stats are telling. According to publicly available online statistics, average time spent on Character.AI is 29:30 per visit with an average of 13.91 pages. I've seen estimates that the top quintile of users spend upwards of 2 hours per day on the platform. Unsurprisingly, 60 percent of the 50/50 male/female audience is 18-24 years old.

What do these stats tell us? We need to redefine the term "authentic" in the context of marketing. Is "authentic synthetic" an oxymoron, or a new term of art? The world of communications is clearly reforming under our feet.

As always your thoughts and comments are both welcome and encouraged. Just reply to this email. -s

ABOUT SHELLY PALMER

Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. Named  he covers tech and business for , is a regular commentator on CNN and writes a popular . He's a , and the creator of the popular, free online course, . Follow  or visit . 

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