Character.AI has expanded beyond text-based interactions with the rollout of new multimedia features, including AvatarFX, a video-generation tool that allows users to create animated videos of their AI characters, along with Scenes and Streams features that enable sharing these creations on a new social feed.
AvatarFX represents a significant leap in AI video generation technology, capable of transforming static images into lifelike, expressive videos that can speak, sing, and emote with remarkable realism.12 Developed by Character.AI's Multimodal team, this cutting-edge tool maintains strong temporal consistency in face, hand, and body movements while supporting longform video generation and multiple speakers.1 Unlike competitors, AvatarFX isn't limited to text-to-video generation—it can create high-quality videos from pre-existing images, giving users maximum control over their creations.13
The technology employs flow-based diffusion models built on the DiT architecture, with a parameter-efficient training pipeline that generates realistic movements synchronized with audio.1 Character.AI has implemented robust safety measures to prevent misuse, including content filters, tools to block generation using photos of minors or public figures, AI-based image alteration to prevent recognizable people, and visible watermarks.1 While currently in closed beta, the company plans to gradually roll out AvatarFX to all users, with CAI+ subscribers gaining early access.12
AI image-to-video generators have revolutionized content creation by allowing users to transform static photos into dynamic videos with minimal effort. The process typically involves uploading an image, providing a text prompt to guide the animation, and letting the AI handle the rest.12 Most platforms follow a simple workflow: upload your image, add descriptive instructions about desired movements or transitions, and the AI automatically detects key elements to apply appropriate animations like zooms, pans, or scene transitions.23
These tools offer remarkable versatility across different use cases. Whether you're working with portraits, landscapes, or product shots, AI can animate virtually any subject.2 Some advanced platforms even allow users to customize video length, aspect ratio, and end-frame appearance.4 The technology is particularly valuable for content creators looking to enhance social media presence, as it can turn historical photos into lifelike animations, transform city skylines into time-lapses, or create before-and-after transformation videos that showcase dramatic changes.35
AvatarFX stands out with its ability to handle multiple speakers in a single video, enabling interactive storytelling with several animated characters conversing naturally.12 This feature supports multiple turns of dialogue, making it ideal for creating engaging scenarios like virtual interviews, product demonstrations, or educational content.23 The technology maintains consistent visual quality across all characters while ensuring each avatar displays appropriate facial expressions, gestures, and body movements that synchronize perfectly with their speech.4
The multi-speaker capability works by processing each character independently while maintaining temporal coherence throughout the scene. Users can upload different images for each character and assign them specific dialogue lines or emotional tones.56 This advancement significantly expands creative possibilities beyond single-character videos, allowing for more complex narratives and conversational scenarios that feel natural and immersive.23 Character.AI achieves this through its sophisticated DiT-based diffusion model that handles the intricate coordination of multiple animated elements simultaneously without sacrificing quality or performance.57