After Meta, Google now ventures into AI chatbots featuring celebrities and influencers

Google is reportedly developing new AI-powered chatbots modelled after celebrities and YouTube influencers, according to a recent report by The Information. 

This venture, while not entirely groundbreaking—startups like Character.ai and tech giants like Meta have already launched similar products—marks a significant step in Google's AI strategy, which has remained relatively conventional until now.

The celebrity chatbots will be powered by Google’s Gemini family of large language models. Google is currently negotiating partnerships with various influencers and celebrities. 

Additionally, the company is working on a feature that will allow users to create their own chatbots by simply describing their personalities and appearance, a functionality already available on Character.ai. 

Interestingly, Noam Shazeer, one of the co-founders of Character.ai, is a former Google engineer and one of the creators of “transformers,” the fundamental technology that enabled today’s generative AI.

Google’s move to create AI chatbots based on public figures is being spearheaded by Ryan Germick, a longtime executive known for his work on Google Doodles, along with a dedicated team of ten. 

This project is still in the experimental phase and might be limited to Google Labs, the company’s platform for experimental products, rather than a wide-scale rollout.

The details regarding which celebrities or influencers Google might collaborate with remain undisclosed. 

Meta, for example, has developed chatbots modelled after personalities like TikTok star Charli D’Amelio, YouTube sensation Mr. Beast, Snoop Dogg, Tom Brady, and Paris Hilton. 

Character.ai, on the other hand, features an eclectic mix of characters ranging from politicians and philosophers to fictional personas and even a talking block of cheese.

The rationale behind Google’s new initiative remains somewhat ambiguous. Meta’s foray into celebrity-based AI chatbots did not achieve significant success, despite the company's extensive efforts to integrate them into various products. 

As noted by The Information, Meta’s chatbot based on Snoop Dogg has only 15,000 followers on Instagram, a stark contrast to the 87.5 million followers of the actual rapper.

The underwhelming performance of Meta’s chatbots raises questions about the potential success of Google’s similar endeavor. The appeal of celebrity chatbots might be limited, as evidenced by Meta's experience. However, Google's approach may differ in ways that could capture user interest more effectively.

Celebrity and influencer-based chatbots offer a unique way for fans to interact with their idols. These chatbots can simulate conversations, answer questions, and even provide insights into the personalities they emulate. However, the novelty of conversing with an AI version of a celebrity might wear off quickly if the interactions do not feel authentic or engaging.

Moreover, developing these chatbots poses significant challenges. The AI must accurately reflect the celebrity’s personality, speech patterns, and mannerisms, which requires sophisticated modelling and substantial data. There are also potential ethical and privacy concerns, as the use of a celebrity’s likeness and personality in AI form could lead to legal complications.

By potentially limiting the initial rollout of these chatbots to Google Labs, Google appears to be taking a cautious approach. This allows the company to test the waters, gather user feedback, and refine the technology before considering a broader release. Google Labs has been a testing ground for many of Google’s innovative products, providing a platform for experimentation and user engagement.

Google’s foray into celebrity chatbots is part of a broader trend in the AI industry. The development of sophisticated, personality-driven chatbots is becoming increasingly popular as companies seek new ways to engage users. Character.ai’s success with its diverse range of AI personalities demonstrates the potential for creative and varied chatbot applications.

However, the market is still evolving, and the long-term viability of these chatbots remains uncertain. The novelty factor plays a significant role, and sustained user engagement will depend on the quality and authenticity of the interactions. Companies must also navigate the ethical landscape, ensuring that their chatbots respect privacy and intellectual property rights.

Google’s reported development of AI chatbots based on celebrities and influencers is a bold move that could reshape its AI strategy. While the concept is not entirely new, Google’s extensive resources and technological expertise could enable it to create highly sophisticated and engaging chatbots. However, the mixed success of similar ventures by other companies highlights the challenges and uncertainties in this space.

As Google proceeds with this experimental project, it will be crucial to address both the technical and ethical challenges. Whether these celebrity chatbots will captivate users or fade into obscurity remains to be seen. For now, the AI community and tech enthusiasts will be watching closely as Google navigates this intriguing new venture.