Data from market research firm Sensor Tower showed that Talkie – part of the fast-growing “companion AI” market segment – was the fourth most-downloaded AI app in the United States in the first half of 2024, ahead of Google-backed rival Character.ai which ranked 10th.
Globally, Talkie recorded 17 million downloads in the first eight months of the year, trailing Character.ai with nearly 19 million downloads in the same period, according to a Sensor Tower report last month. Using generative AI (GenAI) technology, both apps enable users to create and have conversations with virtual characters based on fiction or real people.
Shanghai-based MiniMax is expected to take in around US$70 million in sales this year, according to a recent report by The Financial Times citing anonymous sources. The bulk of that revenue is expected to come from the start-up’s avatar chatbot platform, which targets the US and other overseas markets.
MiniMax did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.
Companion AI apps are particularly popular among younger users, with those aged 18-35 accounting for more than 70 per cent of the user base for top apps like Character.ai, Talkie, Linky AI and HiWaifu, according to Sensor Tower.
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