TUNiB launches multi-persona AI chatbot DearMate

South Korean generative artificial intelligence (AI) startup TUNiB on Thursday announced the launch of DearMate, a mobile app for free conversation with over 100 types of AI persona chatbots, after an open beta phase of around six months.

Through DearMate, users can freely choose and communicate with chatbots according to their tastes and purposes. Over 100 types of chatbots are provided each with its own persona to offer a range of conversational styles.

Depending on purpose, DearMate can be divided into about 10 areas like DearCharacters for role-playing the main characters in a novel; DearCoaches for receiving specific advice for each field; and DearMentors for getting consulting about concerns. Every chatbot in each field has its own conversational style and personality.

Over its half-year open beta period, DearMate attracted over 30,000 downloads despite no additional marketing.

The company said business customers are also showing high interest in its multi-persona chatbots. Game and entertainment makers especially seek to more actively interact and communicate with users through such chatbots, which reflect regular or non-player characters.

More than 70% of DearMate’s chatbots are based on Cheetah, a language model developed by TUNiB using the company’s own data and technology. The model’s advantage is its optimization allowing creation of personas with diverse personalities of high perfection in just a short period of time.

Write to Joo-Wan Kim at kjwan@hankyung.com