A new helper has arrived at the North Pole in recent years: AI.
Youai startup that creates digital memories using voice and face cloning technology, has launched Santa’s AI experience for the second year in a row. It allows parents and children to video chat with a virtual version of Saint Nick.
After signing up for a free account, users can interact with AI Santa via text, phone, or video chat. Users can tell AI Santa what they want for Christmas, share their holiday plans, and find out if they’re on the naughty or nice list.
This year, the company debuted an improved version of Ai Santa, designed to be more expressive and emotional. Santa is now “Tavus Pal,” the company’s name for a real-time AI agent that is built, hears, responds, and looks human.
Ai Santa can now see user expressions and gestures and respond. It also remembers users’ conversations and interests, creating a more personalized experience. Of course, you can now do things on your own, including searching the Web for current ideas or even doing everyday tasks like checking emails.
During the trial, the conversation with AI Santa involved the most. When we mentioned the new PlayStation for Christmas, Santa followed up with questions about his favorite video games, sharing his knowledge of specific titles like Baldur’s Gate. (We don’t like that part, but others might.)
Users seem to be enjoying a good experience so far. Founder and CEO Hassaan Raza said that many people join the platform often, spend hours talking to Santa and often reach their daily limit.
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“Last year, Ai Santa attracted millions of hits, and we will quickly expand it border by border as we approach Christmas,” he said.
While this level of engagement marks a milestone for Tavus, it also raises questions about the impact of these interactions, especially for young children. Children may struggle to differentiate between AI and real people. Spending hours with AI has been linked to negative effects on adults, creating potential effects on children who trust their parents too much.
During our testing, there are test points, there is no content Ai Santa still looks like a human, such as pauses and flat voices. We also found that when the user had to ask if it was real, the programmed response was: “I’m Santa Santa controlled by Tavus magic and technology. I may not be a Spirit and that’s fun.”
Still, the experience launched amid concerns about the effects of AI on young users. Available Report connecting Chatbot interactions to serious harm, including cases where Chatbots are implicated in Death is dead from adolescence. Character.ai eliminated Access to chatbots for users under 18 in October.
Raza emphasized that the AI Santa experience is designed for families to enjoy together, with safety measures in place to ensure appropriate interactions. Safety features, such as content filters, have been implemented to keep discussions family-friendly.
In certain circumstances, Chat can be terminated, and users directed to mental health resources if necessary.
“Enjoy family-friendly and authentic interactions with the Santa experience,” he said.
In addition, when asked about data collection, RAZA said the company “collects logs, metadata, and other information users choose to request secure data at any time.”