Pixi brings interactive AR characters to iMessage

Pixi launched a messaging-native application on the App Store on Wednesday, introducing a system that allows users to send artificial intelligence-powered augmented reality (AR) characters through iMessage, Apple’s messaging platform. To address user privacy concerns, the company states that all visual and audio processing remains on-device, meaning the processing is performed locally on the user’s device rather than on external servers. At launch, the application is available for iPhone models 11 and newer. While established competitors like Snap have offered AR filters and lenses for years, Pixi is attempting to differentiate its approach by combining AR with on-device AI.

The startup was founded by Mark Drummond, whose career includes roles at DreamWorks Animation and Apple. Drummond designed the application to bring a greater sense of presence and spontaneity to digital conversations, targeting a psychological concept sometimes called “pebbling” or “creative gifting”—the act of sharing small tokens of affection. “The consumer problem we’re solving is thinking of a friend when they’re not present,” Drummond said. The application aims to turn standard text communication into a shared digital experience through interactive characters that can react to their physical surroundings and respond to user inputs in real time.

While the application is currently restricted to newer iOS devices, Pixi plans to expand its availability to Android devices and other messaging platforms, including WhatsApp and Instagram. The company’s broader strategy includes establishing a marketplace where external studios, brands, and independent creators can distribute their own interactive characters. Under this model, brands will have the option to charge for their characters, though Drummond noted the company plans to encourage free distribution to allow users to act as brand ambassadors by using the characters to tell their own stories. Additionally, Pixi plans to eventually introduce generative AI capabilities directly to users, allowing them to create custom characters and behaviors through text prompts, such as prompting a custom character to perform specific actions on a recipient’s phone.

Why it matters

Pixi is attempting to evolve messaging by integrating on-device AI with augmented reality to create interactive, context-aware characters within iMessage. If successful, this approach could shift digital communication from static media like stickers and GIFs toward dynamic, localized spatial experiences.