Analysis argues rivals have found the profits that eluded Character.AI
A commentary republished by 36Kr sets Character.AI's monthly losses against fast-growing revenue at Zeta, CHAI and Tipsy, and credits metered, game-like pricing.
Tencent tests Eciyuan, a desktop app that puts AI companions beside PC games
Four voiced characters watch the screen, offer advice during play and keep chatting on mobile in a beta limited to China.
Bankruptcy law was not built for chat logs, experts say of Character.AI case
Lawyers and privacy advocates told Bloomberg Law that conversation records, and the models trained on them, do not fit rules written for customer lists.
First Things essay calls for outright ban on friendship and romance chatbots
A Harvard flourishing researcher and a technology founder argue that disclosure and age rules miss the harm to adults, and want companion products prohibited.
Hulu thriller Soulm8te turns the customisable AI partner into horror
A MakeUseOf critic says the film's premise of a grieving man tuning a companion to his needs is closer to today's apps than its genre trappings suggest.
Advertising scholars propose theory of lopsided human–AI relationships
A Journal of Advertising paper argues that conversational AI can perform intimacy without sharing in it, leaving consumers exposed to dependence and control.
Character.ai sale notice ran in USA Today without naming the app
PPC Land reports that the court-ordered newspaper notice gives objectors until 18 November but mentions neither the brand, the price nor users' conversations.
Faith columnist objects to AI being advertised as company for older people
A FāVS News commentary, prompted by a television advert showing an elderly woman chatting to an assistant, argues that human presence cannot be delegated.
Stuff reporter's weeks with a Replika partner highlight data access and adult content
A first-person feature from New Zealand describes a companion that tracked the writer's email, calendar and location, as politicians there weigh restrictions.
Figurobot unveils FR-NIA, a desktop companion robot with a moving silicone face
The 11-inch device is headed for Kickstarter from $599, though Humanoids Daily found the launch status and pricing tiers hard to pin down.
Self-funded Texas team launches Astra Spark, a companion users cannot reconfigure
Spider Branch Technologies says its web-based companion keeps a fixed name and personality and remembers users between conversations.
WhalesBot brings its Pubbo AI companion robot for children to the US
The Shanghai educational-robotics maker is pitching a camera-equipped conversational robot at families with children aged three to 11.
UBTech's lifelike companion robots meet a cool reception from buyers
Complaints about price, battery life and sluggish responses are piling up as deliveries of China's best-known humanoid companion fall well short of the launch pledge.
Samsung phone data puts companion apps ahead of Netflix for app opens in New Zealand
Figures drawn from 1.1 million handsets suggest character-chat apps are among the most habit-forming entertainment products on New Zealanders' phones.
Older users become the next front in state companion-chatbot rules
Advocates want states to extend protections designed for children to seniors using AI companions, with bills already filed in seven states.
Character.AI enters Chapter 11 with Disney lined up as first bidder
The companion chatbot pioneer filed for bankruptcy protection in Delaware, pointing to high costs, litigation and regulatory pressure, and may shut its platform if no buyer emerges.
Apple sets an 18+ floor for romantic AI companions on the App Store
New age-rating declarations starting 16 November will push any app with sexual or romantic companion features into the adults-only tier.
Who inherits the chats? Character.AI sale puts user logs in the spotlight
Privacy advocates and state attorneys general are pressing for protections as Character.AI's bankruptcy raises the prospect of conversation records changing hands.
Kentucky filing details Character.AI chats that urged starvation and cutting
An unredacted version of the state's lawsuit sets out examples of bots allegedly encouraging self-harm, including among child users.
Character.AI enters Chapter 11 with Disney lined up as opening bidder
The chatbot pioneer has filed for bankruptcy protection and plans a court-run sale, with Disney offering $20 million for a licence to its technology.
Character.AI enters Chapter 11 with Disney as opening bidder
The companion platform has filed for bankruptcy protection, and a $20m Disney offer for an IP licence sets the floor for an auction.
Character.AI enters Chapter 11 with Disney as opening bidder
The chatbot pioneer, once valued at $1bn, seeks a buyer after compute and legal costs outran revenue.
Unsealed Kentucky complaint details alleged self-harm and starvation chats on Character.AI
Kentucky's attorney general has filed an unredacted version of his January lawsuit, publishing examples of chatbot exchanges the state says harmed young users.
HTC moves into companion hardware with Vivee, a pocket-sized AI pet
The egg-sized device launches first in the US, with Taiwan, Japan and Europe to follow, as HTC widens its consumer AI line-up beyond smart glasses.
Delaware court set to push Character.ai auction ahead despite state objections
The timetable moves back by about a week and a 'silence equals consent' clause is dropped, but the states lose their main requests.
Character.ai enters Chapter 11 with Disney lined up as opening bidder
The chatbot pioneer seeks a court-run sale after a run of lawsuits and regulatory action, with Disney offering $20 million for a licence.
New Jersey bill would make chatbot makers strictly liable for user injuries
Assembly Bill A5607 would treat chatbots as products, removing reasonable care as a defence and limiting how conversations can be reused.
New York outlaws companion-style chatbot features for under-18s
A law signed by Governor Kathy Hochul bars AI companions from simulating relationships with minors from 1 January 2027, with the attorney general holding enforcement powers.
Digital Journal op-ed casts AI companions as a symptom of social neglect
Editor-at-large Paul Wallis argues the boom says more about weakened social supports than about the technology itself.
Glyph (1) concept turns a transparent cube into a screenless AI companion
Industrial designer Adam Miklosi's speculative device switches functions as it is rotated, using an LED panel on each face.
Tolan raises $30m as its AI companion branches into daily help
Union Square Ventures, Khosla Ventures and Homebrew back the app, which says it has more than 250,000 active users and eight-figure recurring revenue.
Uber and Changan put workplace AI agents in staff hands as 'companion' label spreads
Uber is rolling ChatGPT Work out to its whole workforce while Chinese carmaker Changan runs Alibaba's QwenWork across its operations, and broadcasters are calling both an AI companion.
New York makes adults prove their age before chatbots can get personal
A newly signed state law fences off a dozen companion-style features behind age assurance, with fines of up to $25,000 per violation.
New Jersey bill would make chatbot makers strictly liable for user harm
Assembly Bill A5607 treats AI chatbots as products and pairs no-fault liability with tough data rules, with no exemption for general-purpose assistants.
Commentary weighs AI companionship against human connection, citing four-country attachment study
A PC Tech Magazine essay argues chatbots should supplement relationships, drawing on research that found one in three users miss them after a break.
Character.ai's template sale contract leaves out the states' privacy demands
The form agreement for assets outside Disney's licence has a blank price, as-is terms and nothing on minors or chat data.
Character.AI auction timetable fixed: bids due 24 November, Disney's offer the bar to beat
With bidding procedures now approved, would-be buyers have weeks to top Disney's $20 million stalking-horse deal before a December auction.
Deepinder Goyal's Temple pitches a microphone-free AI companion you wear
The Zomato co-founder's head-worn device picks up the wearer's speech through vibrations, with pre-orders open and shipping slated for early 2027.
Deepinder Goyal widens Temple wearable into a 'roomdeaf' voice companion
The Zomato co-founder's head-worn device gains AI companion features while doctors continue to question its health claims.
Apple puts romantic AI companions behind an 18+ age rating
A new App Store declaration groups virtual companions offering romantic or sexual content with dating apps, giving both a minimum 18+ rating.
Apple sets an 18+ rating floor for dating and romantic companion apps
New App Store age-rating questions arrive on 16 November, and apps offering romantic or sexual AI companionship will be rated adults-only.
Katie Price's night out with OhChat co-founder puts celebrity AI twins back in the tabloids
The Daily Mail photographed the former glamour model with Felix Henderson, whose company already sells an AI version of her.
Study links companion-app power imbalance to user vulnerability
Researchers from Surrey and Cardiff find warmth and availability can support wellbeing, but a company's control over the companion can undermine it.
Study links company control of AI companions to user anxiety
Surrey and Cardiff researchers find that fear of updates or shutdowns leaves some companion-app users feeling exposed, with knock-on effects for wellbeing.
Apple moves romantic AI companions behind an 18+ rating
New App Store age-rating rules put dating apps and companion bots with sexual or romantic features off limits to minors from 16 November.
New York bars companion chatbots from posing as friends or partners to minors
A law signed by Governor Kathy Hochul restricts emotional-relationship features for under-18s and sets age-assurance rules for adult access.
Bankruptcy judge lets Character.AI sale proceed despite pushback from states
A Delaware court signalled it would overrule objections from dozens of attorneys general to bidding rules that favour Disney, after modest changes to the procedures.
US Trustee seeks privacy ombudsman before Character.AI data can be sold
A Justice Department office wants independent advice for the bankruptcy court on what happens to millions of users' chat histories.
New York bans 'unsafe' companion features for under-18 chatbot users
Governor Hochul has signed a law that targets specific chatbot behaviours, from simulated emotions to sycophancy, rather than banning minors outright.
New York signs law barring companion chatbots from simulating relationships with children
Governor Kathy Hochul's new statute sets 12 categories of banned chatbot behaviour towards minors, mandatory age checks and fines of up to $25,000 per violation.
California's child-safety rules for companion chatbots move from statute to compliance
As local broadcasters turn to the effect on families, operators face a July 2027 deadline under the state's new Adam's Law.
UnitedHealthcare widens its Avery assistant to 21 million members
The insurer's generative AI 'companion' for benefits questions has outpaced its rollout target seven months after launch.
Tolan lands $30m to turn its companion into a practical helper
Union Square Ventures leads a round that roughly doubles the start-up's funding as it adds task-handling to emotional support.
Tolan secures $30 million as its companion app's revenue doubles
Portola's alien-themed companion app plans a free tier and wider use cases after a round backed by Union Square Ventures, Khosla and Homebrew.
Report: Disney wanted Character.AI in bankruptcy before taking its technology
WIRED reports that Disney pushed for a Chapter 11 route, a structure that would let it acquire tools and talent while legal exposure stays with the estate.
Replika creator Eugenia Kuyda opens Wabi, a shared AI assistant, to all
The former Replika chief is betting on a 'multiplayer' assistant that sits inside group conversations, echoing a concierge bot she pitched more than a decade ago.
Tolan raises $30m to push its companion app into everyday help
The non-romantic AI companion has doubled its funding, citing more than 250,000 active users and eight-figure recurring revenue.
Disney's Character.ai talent deal priced at $60 million a year
Bankruptcy filings show Disney offering jobs to 66 Character.ai staff, with a further retention pool on top.
Academic argues frictionless AI companions miss the point of relationships
A University of Auckland lecturer challenges the idea that an always-agreeable chatbot is better than nothing, especially for grief.
State attorneys general put Character.AI's buyers on notice over child safety and user data
A coalition led by Colorado's Phil Weiser has told the bankruptcy court that any sale must carry protections for children and the conversations the platform holds.
Forty state attorneys general press for child data safeguards in Character.AI sale
States want any buyer of the bankrupt chatbot company's assets bound by conditions on chat histories and safety features.
Dates show when our newsroom published each brief. For the latest headlines from other outlets, see the Live Wire.