Google Reportedly Working on Customizable AI Chatbots with Celebrity Voices

Google is venturing into the world of character-based chatbots, according to a report by The Information. These chatbots, powered by Google's in-house large language model (LLM) Gemini, could take the form of celebrities or even be customized by users to reflect their own preferences.

Beyond Simple Assistants

Unlike existing chatbots like Google Assistant that focus on answering user queries, these new AI companions aim to engage in conversations and potentially become virtual friends. Google is reportedly exploring partnerships with social media influencers and celebrities to create chatbots based on their personalities.

Building Your Own Chat Companion

The report suggests Google might also offer users the ability to create their own custom chatbots, similar to the AI platform Character.ai. This would allow users to design a chatbot's personality and appearance, potentially fostering more personal interactions.

Integration and Competition

While details are still emerging, the report mentions Google's interest in integrating these chatbots with YouTube, possibly mirroring Meta's approach with their Messenger-based AI characters. However, Google might utilize a mobile-friendly Progressive Web App (PWA) for accessibility, rather than direct integration with existing messaging platforms.

This project appears to be a separate initiative from Google's recently announced "Gems" - specialized AI assistants like yoga coaches and math tutors. Google's foray into character-based chatbots could be seen as a way to showcase its AI advancements in a user-friendly format, potentially competing with Meta's offerings across various platforms.

Uncertain Launch and Success

The report doesn't specify confirmed celebrity partnerships, and the success of such chatbots remains to be seen. Meta's attempt with personality-based AI characters yielded mixed results, highlighting potential challenges in user engagement.

While a launch date hasn't been confirmed, the report suggests Google Labs might unveil these customizable chatbots within 2024.

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