Character.ai is in the news as AI chatbots face teen safety, lawsuits, and regulation talks—facing scrutiny from OpenAI-era debates and safety panels. It’s a startup behind customizable AI personas (c.ai) led by ex-LaMDA builders Noam Shazeer and Daniel de Freitas.
Shazeer, a Gemini co-lead at Google, has announced his departure to join OpenAI. The move comes after Google rehired Shazeer in 2024 and follows a period of intense talent reshuffles in AI labs, with OpenAI reportedly eyeing an IPO.