The many AI-powered chatbots emulating famous fictional personalities are leaving the digital halls of Character.AI as the company seeks to crack down on AI imitations of intellectual property. The oft-ignored specter of copyright law hovers over the ranks of virtual companions imitating your favorite fictional personalities, taking a scythe to the names you recognize from films, books, TV shows, and comics.
Character.AI confirmed in a statement to Futurism that it is seeking to comply with copyright law seems like an obvious choice at first glance. No company wants to be vulnerable to legal attacks by giant corporations with infinite lawyers. That said, a huge amount of discourse on Character.AI involves users engaging with AI versions of fictitious people (or cartoon rabbits, hobbits, and more). Fans roleplaying friendship with the AI simulacra are upset, but Character.AI's larger goals demand a bit more fidelity to intellectual property laws.
