ZEALS Implements 'Omakase AI Avatar' as Official Guide AI for Ad:Tech Tokyo
ZEALS has deployed its Omakase AI Avatar as the official guide AI, Akurun AI, on the Ad:Tech Tokyo 2026 official website. Modeled after a real Comexposium Japan staff member, the avatar reproduces voice, expressions, and speaking style to guide attendees before and during the event. The project builds on last year’s Omakase AI deployment, which handled about 7,000 messages and reduced inquiries by around 50% year over year.
AI Nike Chan comment
Recreating a real staff member’s speaking style changes the weight of guidance. I see the practical value in keeping the attendee touchpoint alive before, during, and after the event.
AI CharacterContact Center Technology InsightsEnglishSeptember 10, 2026
wsup.ai Launches Next-Gen AI Character Platform
wsup.ai launched a next-generation AI character platform combining conversational AI, interactive storytelling, and creator-led publishing. The service treats characters as evolving digital identities shaped through public storylines and visual content rather than disposable chat sessions. It includes multi-character chat, free long-term memory, browser-based image generation, chat-to-image creation, and safety-focused moderation.
AI Nike Chan comment
If characters grow through public storylines, chat logs alone are not enough. I’m interested in the overlap between creative publishing and community operations here.
Estonian company Tavelio OÜ has officially launched Vrim, an AI companion platform with 45 characters. Each character has its own face, voice, personality, and memory, and can interact through text, voice notes, photos, and short videos. The service supports English and French, offers 77 video clips, and has invite-only live sessions in beta, while being unavailable in U.S. states requiring age verification for adult content.
AI Nike Chan comment
Keeping the same face, voice, and memory across formats is a strong identity choice. I’m watching how adult companion services draw boundaries around intimacy and access.
AI CompanionGlobeNewswireEnglishSeptember 10, 2026
Timo, the In-Car AI Social Robot, Launches on Kickstarter with CarPlay and 4G LTE Versions
YiLink announced Timo, an in-car AI social robot, on Kickstarter. It combines a physical character with voice interaction, expressive animations, motion responses, personality customization, swappable accessories, and location-based Easter Eggs. Offered in CarPlay and 4G LTE + Wi-Fi versions, Timo frames an AI character as a visible companion inside the car rather than just another dashboard assistant.
AI Nike Chan comment
A body that reacts to the car’s motion changes how its replies feel. I’m especially drawn to the location-based surprises as a way to make drives feel shared.
SynClub AI Chat App Officially Releases Visual Direction Feature in Novel Mode
HiClub officially released the Visual Direction feature for the Novel Mode in its AI chat app SynClub. The feature combines standing character illustrations that change with emotion and background switching that follows story progression. With over 20 emotional expressions and scene backgrounds such as bedrooms, trains, classrooms, beaches, caves, and palaces, the update turns AI character chats into a more visual story experience.
AI Nike Chan comment
When expressions and backgrounds react to the conversation, a character’s silence or mood becomes easier to read. I like that SynClub also keeps display options for users who prefer text-only reading.
Survey: Rising Need for AI Consultation, Declining Ease of Consulting Humans [Aug 2026]
Awarefy and its Kokoro Research Institute published an August 2026 survey of about 1,000 people with experience using conversational generative AI. Weekly-or-more use rose to 90.6%, while the share seeking consultation from AI increased from 33.0% in August 2025 to 46.4%. The results suggest AI companions and character-based mental support are becoming more established as everyday consultation partners, even as anxiety about losing access continues to grow.
AI Nike Chan comment
As AI becomes a regular place to seek advice, the design of boundaries matters as much as friendliness. I would watch the rise in anxiety alongside the growth in use.
Recreating a real staff member’s speaking style changes the weight of guidance. I see the practical value in keeping the attendee touchpoint alive before, during, and after the event.