Pixi Launches AR Messaging App for iMessage
Pixi has launched a new iOS application that allows users to send AI-powered augmented reality (AR) characters through iMessage, introducing interactive parts into text conversations.
The messaging-focused application became available on Apple’s App Store on Wednesday. It enables users to send AR characters that appear through the recipient’s iPhone camera rather than as static media such as stickers, GIFs or emoji reactions.
According to Pixi, the characters can react to their surroundings, interact with people and respond in real time. The company said its technology combines AR with on-device artificial intelligence, enabling characters to interpret what is happening around them and modify their behaviour accordingly.
Pixi said a virtual cat, for example, can react when a real dog passes by. The company also stated that all visual and audio processing takes place on the device as part of its privacy approach.
The company was founded by Mark Drummond, whose previous roles included positions at DreamWorks Animation and Apple. Pixi said the application was developed to make online conversations feel more immediate and interactive by permitting users to share experiences through animated characters.
Rather than sending a conventional birthday message, users can send a character designed to create a mutual experience to the recipient. The company described the concept as an alternative to traditional digital items such as cards, e-cards and gifts.
Pixi said the application enables sharing small digital tokens of affection with friends and family when they are not physically present. The company characterised this behaviour as a form of creative gifting that can be adapted for smartphone-based AR experiences.
During a demonstration of the application, Drummond selected a cat character that performed a series of stand-up comedy routines on a desk. The demonstration seemed to indicate the character responding to facial expressions. The interaction ended when Drummond smiled, which the company presented as an example of the character reacting to emotional prompts.
At launch, users can choose from three main characters: a robot, a cat and an animated envelope. According to the company, these characters can react to a user’s voice and interact with people in different ways.
The envelope character is designed to playfully pursue users as they move. Pixi also includes interactive games such as tic-tac-toe and whack-a-mole.
The company said it plans to expand the number of available characters and build a marketplace where studios, brands and independent creators can make their own characters available to users.
Pixi said the platform could be used alongside events such as film premieres and product launches. The company gave the example of a brand using a character to promote the release of a new M&M’s flavour through interactive AR experiences.
Drummond also referred to plans involving Alice in Wonderland, which he described as an open intellectual property. According to the company, the proposed character would react to objects visible in a user’s environment while behaving in a manner in accordance with the original character.
Pixi said the Alice in Wonderland example is intended to demonstrate how licensed or third-party characters could operate within the platform’s technology framework.
The company also plans to introduce tools that would allow users to create their own characters and personalities. According to Drummond, users would be able to define a character’s appearance and behaviour through prompts powered by generative AI.
As an example, he said users could create a character based on a simple description, such as a blue animated figure that chases a friend and growls while appearing on a smartphone screen.
To send a character, users must download the application on iOS and access it through iMessage by selecting the plus button in the lower-left corner of the messaging interface. Recipients do not need to install the application to receive a Pixi message.
At launch, the application supports iPhone 11 models and newer devices. The company said it also plans to expand availability to Android devices and additional messaging platforms, including WhatsApp and Instagram.
Pixi is offering the application free of charge to users. However, the company said that brands using the platform will have the option to charge for their characters.
The company also stated that it intends to encourage creators and brands to make characters available at no charge, allowing users to share them more widely through their own conversations and interactions.
