Moving beyond conventional stickers, GIFs, and emoji reactions, Pixi is pioneering the belief that the future evolution of messaging lies in interactive augmented reality (AR).
The startup recently launched its messaging-native application on the App Store, enabling users to transmit AI-powered AR characters directly through iMessage. These characters transcend static media, animating through the recipient’s iPhone camera, where they can dynamically react to their surroundings, engage with individuals, and respond in real time.
While augmented reality itself is not a novel concept—companies like Snap have offered AR filters and lenses for years—Pixi distinguishes its approach. By integrating AR with on-device artificial intelligence, its characters gain the ability to comprehend their environment and adapt their behavior accordingly. For instance, a virtual cat might react perceptibly to a real dog passing by. The company emphasizes that all visual and audio processing occurs on the device, ensuring user privacy.
Mark Drummond, Pixi's founder and an alumnus of DreamWorks Animation and Apple, states that the application aims to infuse digital conversations with enhanced presence and spontaneity. Instead of merely sending a text for occasions like a birthday wish, users can deploy characters that foster a shared experience, transforming a simple message into something akin to a digital gift or an interactive playful moment.
Speaking to TechCrunch, Drummond articulated, “The consumer problem we’re solving is thinking of a friend when they’re not present.” He elaborated on the psychological concept often termed "pebbling" or "creative gifting," where individuals share tokens of affection through cards, e-cards, and gifts. Drummond asserted, “That’s your dad, or, in some cases, your granddad’s media. We can do better. We can do something that’s digitally native, and that uses everything we learned about AR on the iPhone.”
Earlier this week, Drummond provided a demonstration of the app, showcasing a cat character that delivered a series of stand-up jokes on his desk. Significantly, the virtual cat seemed to react to Drummond’s facial expressions; for example, the interaction concluded when he smiled, illustrating the character’s capacity to detect emotional cues.
Upon its debut, users will find a selection of characters including a robot, a cat, and an animated envelope. The envelope character is designed to respond to voice commands and can playfully "attack" friends, even chasing them if they move. The platform also incorporates interactive games such as tic-tac-toe and whack-a-mole.
Pixi intends to broaden its character offerings significantly. The long-term vision involves establishing a marketplace where studios, brands, and independent creators can contribute and share their distinct characters for users. The company anticipates this feature being leveraged for promotional events like movie premieres or product launches, enabling characters to build excitement, similar to how M&Ms might introduce a new flavor.
Drummond also noted the potential introduction of Alice in Wonderland as a character, citing her status as open intellectual property. He highlighted that “our Alice character needs to react to objects that she sees on your desktop in an ‘Alice-consistent’ way,” serving as a crucial demonstration to partners of how their creations will seamlessly interact with Pixi’s technology.
Looking ahead, Pixi aspires to empower users with the capability to design their own characters and personalities.
Drummond elaborated, stating, “Part of our plan is to open up those generative AI capabilities to our [users], so they can prompt their way to say something, like, ‘I want a blue blob that threatens my friend and growls at them and keeps chasing them on the phone.’”
To send a character, users must download the app on iOS and access it via iMessage by tapping the plus sign icon in the lower-left corner. Notably, recipients do not need to install the app to receive a Pixi message.
Initially, the application is compatible exclusively with iPhone models 11 and newer. However, future development plans include expanding availability to Android devices and other prominent messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Instagram.
While the app remains free for end-users, brands will retain the discretion to monetize their characters should they choose to do so.
Drummond concluded, “We’re going to encourage people to do it for free, because then people become your own brand ambassadors. You’re putting them in charge of using your characters to tell their own stories.”
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