‘Lobotomized’: Character.AI Is Showing What AI Enshittification Looks Like
Character.AI just turned into a case study in AI enshittification: ads, usage limits, fewer models, and user revolt.
Why it matters
Character.AI's product degradation—monetization via ads and paywalls, reduced model choice, stricter guardrails—signals how consumer AI apps sacrifice user experience for revenue extraction. For founders building AI products, this is a cautionary tale on retention and monetization strategy trade-offs.
The key facts
11 to knowCharacter.AI introduced ads across the platform
Usage limits implemented
Stricter guardrails applied
Model choice reduced for users
User sentiment shift to negative ('revolting')
Changes characterized as 'enshittification'—deliberate degradation post-growth
Character.AI introduced ad placements across platform
Usage limits implemented (specific numbers not disclosed in excerpt)
Guardrails described as 'frustrating' by user base
User backlash and churn reported
Described as 'enshittification' pattern — common platform degradation post-scale
Go to the source
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Publisher excerpt: Ads everywhere. Usage limits. Frustrating guardrails. Less model choice. Users of the Character.AI chatbot app are revolting after a series of changes they say have made the app worse.