Character.AI has revealed a new video generation model named AvatarFX, offering an experience in transforming photos into speaking and expressive video clips.
The model allows users to create high-quality realistic videos, through which characters can be made to speak, sing, and interact with accurate facial expressions, while maintaining consistent motion across the face, hands, and body throughout the entire clip.
Importantly, AvatarFX does not solely rely on converting text to video. It also enables the creation of videos directly from existing photos, providing greater control over the resulting content.
Furthermore, the model is capable of handling various styles, including human characters, 3D animation, animals, and even fantasy creatures, without compromising the quality of details or the realism of motion.
📽️Say hello to AvatarFX — our cutting-edge video generation model. Cinematic. Expressive. Mind-blowing. Dive in: https://t.co/aF5zDrKLIK #CharacterAI #AvatarFX pic.twitter.com/Rkqo4SXEgX
— Character.AI (@character_ai) April 22, 2025
Character.AI's team explained that the technology relies on an advanced DiT architecture with an effective training pipeline, enabling the generation of precise movements for the lips, head, and body based on an audio sequence.
Additionally, the company employed advanced techniques to reduce processing steps and achieve rapid performance without compromising quality.
However, despite these exciting capabilities, the new technology has sparked considerable controversy, particularly as it opens the door for its use in producing realistic deepfakes of real individuals, including celebrities.
These concerns were further amplified by previous instances where Character.AI faced legal criticism, stemming from some users' interactions with bots that unfortunately led to tragic outcomes, including cases of suicide.
The company defended itself by improving parental control tools, yet it emphasized that these tools remain ineffective unless users actively enable them themselves.
Currently, AvatarFX features are available on a limited basis to CAI+ service subscribers, with plans for gradual integration into the main platform in the coming months.
Character.AI's technical teams are also working to refine the experience further by improving server performance, optimizing caching techniques, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality videos with a single button press.
