Forget stickers, GIFs and emoji reactions. Pixie is betting that the next evolution of messaging is interactive augmented reality (AR).
The startup launched its native messaging app on App Store on Wednesday, allowing users to send AI-powered AR characters via iMessage. Instead of appearing as static media, the characters come to life through the recipient’s iPhone camera, where they can react to their surroundings, interact with people, and respond in real time.
While AR isn’t new and shiny anymore — companies like Snap have been creating AR filters and lenses for years — Pixi believes its approach is different. By combining AR with on-device AI, its characters can understand what’s going on around them and behave accordingly. A virtual cat, for example, reacts when a real dog walks by. (According to the company, all visual and audio processing remains on the device to preserve user privacy.)
Pixi founder Mark Drummond (ex-DreamWorks Animation and ex-Apple) says the app is designed to bring a greater sense of presence and spontaneity to digital conversations. Instead of sending a message to wish someone a happy birthday, users can send characters that create a shared experience, turning a simple message into something closer to a digital gift or playful interaction.
“The consumer problem we’re solving is thinking about a friend when they’re not around,” he told TechCrunch. “Sometimes the psychology is called pebble or creative donation. You share tokens of affection, basic cards, e-cards and gifts. This is your father or, in some cases, your grandfather’s media. We can do better. We can do something that is natively digital and uses everything we’ve learned about AR on the iPhone.”
Earlier this week, Drummond demoed the app for us, choosing the cat character, who made a series of jokes in his office. Specifically, the cat appeared to respond to Drummond’s facial expressions. For example, the experience was completed when he smiled, showing the character’s ability to perceive emotional cues.
At launch, users will have access to a robot, a cat, and an animated folder character that can react to their voice and playfully “attack” their friends. If they move, the envelope will chase them. There are also games like tic-tac-toe and whack-a-mole.
Pixi plans to expand beyond just a few characters. The goal is to create a marketplace where studios, brands, and indie creators can share their unique characters for users to choose from. The company envisions this being used for events like movie premieres or product launches, allowing the characters to generate excitement, like when M&M’s releases a new flavor.
Drummond also mentioned the introduction of Alice in Wonderland as a character choice, as it is an open intellectual property. He pointed out that “our Alice character needs to react to objects she sees on your desktop in a ‘consistent way’ to show collaborators how their creations will interact with the technology.
In the future, Pixi hopes to allow users to create their own characters and personalities.
“Part of our plan is to open up these AI production capabilities to us [users]so they can have them say something like, ‘I want a blue blob that threatens my friend and growls at them and chases them down the phone,'” Drummond explained.
To send a character to your friend, download the app on iOS and use iMessage by tapping the plus button in the lower left corner. No installation required to receive a Pixi message.
Initially, the app will only be available for iPhone 11 and newer models, but there are plans to expand to Android devices and messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram in the future.
Also, while the app is free for users, brands will have the ability to charge for their characters if they choose.
“We would encourage people to do it for free, because then people become your brand ambassadors. You’re commissioning them to use your characters to tell their own stories,” Drummond said.
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