Character.AI’s Biggest Update Yet Brings New Model, Filter Tweaks, and Creator Tools

Character.AI has rolled out what it calls its biggest update yet, following months of frustration from users over broken features and overly strict content filtering. Whether these fixes are enough to solve the platform’s long-standing issues remains uncertain.

In a recent community post, the company introduced PipSqueak, a new free model that promises better memory and roleplay capabilities. It’s reportedly their most expensive model to run for free users, but many have already raised concerns about its reliability after it suddenly disappeared for a large portion of users without any prior notice.

The bigger focus of the update, however, lies in changes to “Bob,” the content filter that has caused widespread backlash. Character.AI says it has retrained the filter to better identify roleplay scenarios and avoid flagging harmless stories. In addition, the platform has made its “Soft Launch” mode a permanent option for adult users after heavy community pressure. Despite this, some creators report that characters previously deemed acceptable are now unexpectedly restricted without clear explanations.

Mobile users are also getting new discovery features, including the ability to filter searches by followed creators, tags, and languages. An archiving system has been added, allowing creators to hide characters without permanently deleting them. These are basic but welcome improvements that many argue should have been available since launch.

The update also adds more creator-focused tools, signaling a shift toward a social media–style experience. Creators can now upload intro videos for their characters and share images generated from chats. A new Community Feed highlights trending characters and creator posts, though some users say it has already led to performance problems on certain devices.

These changes come under the leadership of new CEO Karandeep Anand, who has pledged to prioritize addressing user concerns. Still, challenges remain. PipSqueak is not universally available due to high computational costs, and its rollout has been buggy, with reports of the model appearing and disappearing at random. Web users also feel left behind as most of the new features remain exclusive to mobile.

User feedback has been divided. Some welcome the updates as a step in the right direction, while others criticize the company for taking so long to implement features they see as fundamental. Character.AI insists more improvements are coming, but the community has heard similar promises before.

The bigger question is whether these updates will be enough to keep users loyal or if many have already switched to competing platforms. Character.AI gained popularity as a leading AI companion service, but ongoing technical issues and heavy-handed moderation have eroded trust. This latest update seems like an effort to rebuild its reputation, though it may not be enough for everyone.

For now, the platform appears to be making progress, but only time will tell if these changes are substantial enough to restore confidence among its users.

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