A new helper has arrived at the North Pole in recent years: AI.
Tavusthe artificial intelligence startup that creates digital copies using voice and face cloning technology has launched Experience AI Santa for the second consecutive year. This allows parents and kids to video chat with a virtual version of jolly old St. Nick.
After signing up for a free account, users can interact with AI Santa via text, phone or video chat. Users can tell AI Santa what they want for Christmas, share their holiday plans and find out if they’re on the naughty or nice list.
This year, the company introduced an improved version of its AI Santa, designed to be more expressive and emotionally aware. Santa is now a ‘Tavus PAL’, the company’s name for real-time AI agents built to see, hear, respond and look human.
AI Santa can now see and respond to users’ expressions and gestures. It also remembers users’ conversations and interests, creating a more personalized experience. Notably, it can now take its own actions, including searching the web for present ideas or even performing everyday tasks such as composing emails.
During testing, chatting with the AI Santa was engaging for the most part. When we mentioned we wanted a new PlayStation for Christmas, Santa followed up with questions about our favorite video games, showing knowledge of specific titles like Baldur’s Gate 3. He also smiled at us when we did. (We didn’t really like that part, but maybe others will.)
Users seem to be enjoying the improved experience so far. Founder and CEO Hassaan Raza said many people frequently engage with the platform, spending hours chatting with AI Santa and often reaching their daily limits.
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“Last year’s AI Santa scored millions of hits and we’re on pace to surpass that by a wide margin as Christmas approaches,” he noted.
While this level of engagement marks a milestone for Tavus, it also raises questions about the impact of such interactions, especially for young children. Children may have difficulty distinguishing between artificial intelligence and a real person. Spending hours chatting with an AI has already been linked to negative effects on adults, making the potential effects on children who strongly believe in Santa Claus a concern for some parents.
During our testing, there were subtle signs that the AI Santa still seems completely human, such as long pauses and a flat voice. We also found that if a user wondered if it was real, the programmed response was: “I’m an AI Santa powered by the magic and technology of Tavus. I may not be the real Santa, but I’ve got the spirit and the cheer.”
However, the experience is launching amid growing concerns about the effects of artificial intelligence on young users. There have been reports linking chatbot interactions to serious harm, including cases where chatbots were involved in the suicidal deaths of teenagers. Character.AI removed access to its chatbots for users under 18 in October.
Raza emphasized that the AI Santa experience is designed for families to enjoy together, with safety measures in place to ensure appropriate interactions. Safety features such as content filters have been implemented to keep discussions family-friendly.
In some cases, chats can be terminated and users directed to mental health resources if necessary.
“The vast majority of interactions were family-friendly and true to the Santa experience,” he said.
Additionally, when asked about data collection, Raza said the company “collects logs, session timestamps, metadata, and other information that users choose to share during their conversations. This data is used to provide and maintain a secure experience, and users can request data deletion at any time.”
