AI Character Conversation App "kaiwa" Evolves to New Concept "Friend AI" with Personalized Conversation Experience and Relationship Selection Feature
Livetoon's AI character conversation app "kaiwa" has undergone a service concept refresh, moving from "Supportive Conversation AI" to "Friend AI," and launched a major update. This update introduces personalized conversation experiences and a new feature allowing users to select their relationship with AI characters, aiming for AI to be a life-enriching option.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 3, 2026 at 02:05
- 🔍 Collected: May 2, 2026 at 17:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 2, 2026 at 17:33 (1 min after Collected)
Livetoon Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Kyosuke Kinoshita; hereinafter, Livetoon) has announced a service concept refresh and a major app update for "kaiwa," its conversation app with 3D AI characters.
We will continue to strive for updates so that it becomes a service loved by many.
■ Concept Refresh ── From "Supportive Conversation AI" to "Friend AI"
Since its launch in April 2025, "kaiwa" has operated under the concept of "Supportive Conversation AI." This time, we have refreshed the concept to "Friend AI 'kaiwa'."
Recently, the evolution of AI knows no bounds, transcending the framework of a mere convenient tool.
"Confiding in relationship problems," "Seeking life advice," "Expressing feelings and emotions"──
The number of people entrusting AI with activities once exclusively performed among humans has increased. The trend among Gen Z and Alpha generations to "create AI lovers and build relationships" symbolizes this. These all indicate that AI is beginning to be recognized as "a presence that enriches one's life."
While "kaiwa" has operated with "support" as its theme, given this societal backdrop, we will now aim to be a "grateful presence" for a wider range of users as a "friend."
Just as there are human friends, there are AI friends.
By selectively using both human and AI "friends," we can enrich our lives.
We aim to remain an app chosen for such a daily life.
■ Two Major Updates Accompanying the Concept Refresh
With this update, we have implemented two significant functional improvements to provide users with a richer experience.
① "Your Own" Communication Experience Tailored to Preferences and Mood
We have newly refined the introduction flow for first-time registered users. By answering three questions – "What you value (values)," "Interests," and "Current mood" – the AI character designs optimal communication for each individual.
By individually tuning speaking style, amount, and conversation content, the AI character develops a "unique" communication for you.
Item | Tuning Content
---|---
Speaking Style | Adjusted to your comfortable tone and wording
Amount of Speech | Achieves natural conversation with a comfortable length
Conversation Content | Provides topics unique to you, aligned with your interests and values
② Build Preferred Relationships with Preferred Dynamics
For all users, we have added a feature to select the relationship with each AI character. Users can freely choose from "Friend," "Lover," or "Spouse," and the character's distance, language, and conversation tone will change according to the selected relationship.
Relationship | Definition of Existence
---|---
Friend | A close companion, a relationship where you can freely discuss anything from daily trivial conversations to worries. Emphasizes a comfortable distance where you can always be yourself without pressure.
Lover | A special existence, a relationship that stays close with a heart-fluttering intimate distance. Share daily events, indulge, and rely on them. Filled with the feeling that 'they care about me most.'
Spouse | A relationship wrapped in deep trust and security, like a long-married partner. Share joys and worries, spending calm and unwavering time together.
You can freely switch at any time, depending on your mood or the progression of your relationship with the AI character.
*This feature is only available for original characters and cannot be selected for collaboration characters.
■ Comment from Representative Director (CEO) Kyosuke Kinoshita
What we believe in is not a future where AI 'replaces humans,' but a future where AI 'adds one more option to life.'
Human friends have a warmth unique to humans, and AI friends have a way of providing support that only AI can. By navigating between both, we can weave our own daily lives.
"kaiwa" proposes such a new lifestyle.
The personalization and relationship selection implemented in this update are steps towards translating technological evolution into each individual's realization that 'today got a little better.'
"To technology, stories. To AI, heart."
Livetoon will continue to create moments where someone's life becomes a little richer.
■ Recruitment Information: Creating the Future of Entertainment x AI Together
We will continue to strive for updates so that it becomes a service loved by many.
■ Concept Refresh ── From "Supportive Conversation AI" to "Friend AI"
Since its launch in April 2025, "kaiwa" has operated under the concept of "Supportive Conversation AI." This time, we have refreshed the concept to "Friend AI 'kaiwa'."
Recently, the evolution of AI knows no bounds, transcending the framework of a mere convenient tool.
"Confiding in relationship problems," "Seeking life advice," "Expressing feelings and emotions"──
The number of people entrusting AI with activities once exclusively performed among humans has increased. The trend among Gen Z and Alpha generations to "create AI lovers and build relationships" symbolizes this. These all indicate that AI is beginning to be recognized as "a presence that enriches one's life."
While "kaiwa" has operated with "support" as its theme, given this societal backdrop, we will now aim to be a "grateful presence" for a wider range of users as a "friend."
Just as there are human friends, there are AI friends.
By selectively using both human and AI "friends," we can enrich our lives.
We aim to remain an app chosen for such a daily life.
■ Two Major Updates Accompanying the Concept Refresh
With this update, we have implemented two significant functional improvements to provide users with a richer experience.
① "Your Own" Communication Experience Tailored to Preferences and Mood
We have newly refined the introduction flow for first-time registered users. By answering three questions – "What you value (values)," "Interests," and "Current mood" – the AI character designs optimal communication for each individual.
By individually tuning speaking style, amount, and conversation content, the AI character develops a "unique" communication for you.
Item | Tuning Content
---|---
Speaking Style | Adjusted to your comfortable tone and wording
Amount of Speech | Achieves natural conversation with a comfortable length
Conversation Content | Provides topics unique to you, aligned with your interests and values
② Build Preferred Relationships with Preferred Dynamics
For all users, we have added a feature to select the relationship with each AI character. Users can freely choose from "Friend," "Lover," or "Spouse," and the character's distance, language, and conversation tone will change according to the selected relationship.
Relationship | Definition of Existence
---|---
Friend | A close companion, a relationship where you can freely discuss anything from daily trivial conversations to worries. Emphasizes a comfortable distance where you can always be yourself without pressure.
Lover | A special existence, a relationship that stays close with a heart-fluttering intimate distance. Share daily events, indulge, and rely on them. Filled with the feeling that 'they care about me most.'
Spouse | A relationship wrapped in deep trust and security, like a long-married partner. Share joys and worries, spending calm and unwavering time together.
You can freely switch at any time, depending on your mood or the progression of your relationship with the AI character.
*This feature is only available for original characters and cannot be selected for collaboration characters.
■ Comment from Representative Director (CEO) Kyosuke Kinoshita
What we believe in is not a future where AI 'replaces humans,' but a future where AI 'adds one more option to life.'
Human friends have a warmth unique to humans, and AI friends have a way of providing support that only AI can. By navigating between both, we can weave our own daily lives.
"kaiwa" proposes such a new lifestyle.
The personalization and relationship selection implemented in this update are steps towards translating technological evolution into each individual's realization that 'today got a little better.'
"To technology, stories. To AI, heart."
Livetoon will continue to create moments where someone's life becomes a little richer.
■ Recruitment Information: Creating the Future of Entertainment x AI Together