Microdramas are on the rise, and Character.AI is transforming it into a mutual fascination.

      Experience an AI microdrama, then engage with the characters yourself

      Character.AI

      Microdramas have already taken over the small vertical screen. Now, Character.AI aims to enhance the experience further. The chatbot platform has introduced c.ai Series, a set of original microdramas designed for mobile viewing, produced by its in-house studio. Each show features short vertical episodes, but merely watching them is just part of the experience. Afterward, viewers can interact directly with the characters, revisit key story moments, delve into character relationships, or kick off entirely new narratives.

      This marks a new effort to merge streaming with audience engagement. Netflix has gone a different route with Unhinged, a horror game that transforms a viewer’s phone into a controller, allowing them to interact during gameplay. In contrast, Character.AI is integrating interactivity into the narrative itself by making characters accessible even after an episode concludes.

      Character.AI

      Finished with the drama? Just message the cast

      The initial selection includes three shows. Last Summer is an anime romance with themes of memories and secret crushes, while The Nighttime Game centers around friends ensnared in a perilous supernatural card game. Eden Fall immerses elite players in a virtual competition, where dying in the game equates to death in reality.

      Each series offers 10 episodes, each under two minutes long. The first eight episodes are free, while the last two are behind a paywall. These shows can be accessed through a new entertainment tab within Character.AI’s mobile app, alongside the platform’s existing audio dramas.

      Post-episode interactions are currently limited to users aged 18 and over. Each episode utilizes a unique language model that only references information already shown in the episode, minimizing the risk of an overzealous chatbot revealing future plot twists.

      Character.AI

      AI created the shows, with human involvement still present

      Character.AI claims that the series was produced by a human-led studio team with backgrounds at Netflix, Nickelodeon, DreamWorks, and Blumhouse. Writers developed the scripts and comprehensive story bibles, which were then brought to life using the company’s proprietary AI pipeline for visuals and audio in usual editing and post-production processes.

      The outcome is primarily an AI-generated animated production, differing from the low-cost live-action soap operas typically associated with apps like ReelShort and DramaBox. Character.AI CEO Karandeep Anand stated to The Verge that the company intentionally aimed to avoid hastily produced low-quality content, although initial reactions still pointed out some stiff animations and awkward dialogue.

      Vikhyaat Vivek is a tech journalist and reviewer with seven years of experience focusing on consumer hardware.

      EXCLUSIVE: The producer of The Mandela Catalogue shares new insights about the upcoming horror adaptation

      Producer Aaron B. Koontz discusses the adaptation of The Mandela Catalogue with Alex Kister and Steven Spielberg.

      Following the box-office success of A24's Backrooms, Hollywood's attention has shifted to another analog horror sensation. On July 2, Deadline reported that producers Aaron B. Koontz (Shelby Oaks) and Steven Spielberg are working on a film adaptation of the viral YouTube horror series, The Mandela Catalogue. Series creator Alex Kister will direct, with a screenplay penned by Tyler Clifton. Kister notes that the film revolves around a group of high school graduates "struggling to hold onto reality after the disappearance of a local student triggers a series of unexplainable, unsettling happenings."

      Targeted by scammers, adult content creators are having hacked government sites removed

      OnlyFans creators are tackling piracy and uncovering hacked government websites

      Adult content creators frequently confront scammers and pirates who steal their images, videos, and even identities. Now, in an unexpected twist, this diligent cleanup effort is leading to the removal of compromised government websites.

      Scammers have been infiltrating reputable .gov and .edu domains, filling them with pages that purport to feature leaked OnlyFans content. This has resulted in hacked government and university sites being erased from Google Search. The flawed pages often contain no actual stolen material, instead using the names of popular creators to attract visitors to dating scams or other dubious advertisements and harmful downloads.

      Your Netflix homepage is about to resemble YouTube much more closely

      The streaming giant has established partnerships with Condé Nast, Hearst, Penske Media, and others to integrate publisher content into its platform.

      Netflix has long sought to be more than just a destination for films and television series. After trying out everything from interactive games to live sports, it is now taking cues from YouTube to provide another reason for user engagement. Vogue, Variety, and BuzzFeed are joining Netflix.