Character.AI launches interactive AI-made microdrama series
The chatbot company’s c.ai Series brings generative-AI animated vertical episodes to phones, with character chats after each installment.
By Maya Lindqvist · Senior Technology Correspondent
2 min read
Character.AI has introduced c.ai Series, a set of short episodic videos made for phones that viewers can interact with after watching, the company announced Thursday. The launch puts the chatbot company into microdramas, a mobile video format that Variety has reported could grow into a $26 billion industry in the next few years.
The Verge reported that c.ai Series expands Character.AI’s push beyond its core LLM-powered chatbot service. The company has also been building interactive books, comics and audio dramas, according to The Verge.
The new series differ from many existing microdrama apps because they are animated and almost entirely produced with generative AI, The Verge reported. Traditional microdrama services often rely on low-cost live-action productions with human actors, according to The Verge, which has identified ReelShort and DramaBox as examples in the category.
Character.AI’s version adds a feature tied to its main product: after an episode ends, viewers can chat with the characters. That interaction is the main distinction between c.ai Series and the passive vertical-video shows already common on microdrama platforms, according to The Verge.
Three launch titles
Character.AI is starting the format with three series. Last Summer is a story about secret admirers and uses an anime-style look, according to The Verge.
The Nighttime Game follows a group of friends drawn into a lethal card game. The Verge compared its visual style to Netflix’s Entergalactic.
The third project, Eden Fall, follows elite MMO players into a virtual-reality setting. The Verge described the premise as similar to Ready Player One and said its look recalls Genshin Impact.
A chatbot company moves into entertainment
The launch shows Character.AI trying to turn its character-based AI tools into a broader entertainment platform. The company’s core appeal has been letting users talk with AI personas, and c.ai Series brings that interaction into scripted-style video.
The Verge reported that each c.ai Series project centers on different characters and fits familiar genres, including romance, horror and science fiction. Those categories are already common across microdrama apps, but Character.AI is betting that post-episode chat can make its shows feel more participatory.
The company is entering the format as generative AI remains divisive among some younger users. The Verge has reported that some members of Gen Z have begun objecting to generative AI, though Character.AI’s existing audience may be more open to AI-made entertainment.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.