Toy and games company Hasbro has launched a new artificial intelligence (AI) studio called Sixth Wall, dedicated to bringing its characters into the AI era.
Sixth Wall was created in response to the unauthorised use of Hasbro's characters across chat, voice, gaming and content creation platforms.
Through Sixth Wall, third-party creators, rights holders and partners can bring the company's characters into new experiences.
These include interactive storytelling experiences, games and digital companions, connected physical products and robotics, AI-powered brand ambassadors, and LBE experiences.
Sixth Wall is powered by the CharacterOS system, which can preserve a character's personality, canon, voice, and safety guardrails across experiences.
Each character is built using authorised source material and human voice performances.
“One of the most meaningful parts of building Sixth Wall has been sitting in the recording studio witnessing legendary voice actors capture the essence of Hasbro’s most iconic characters,” said Roberta Thomson, CEO of Sixth Wall.
Chris Cocks, Hasbro's CEO, said: “CharacterOS is compelling because it unlocks a bigger creative canvas while addressing a real challenge in AI: the unauthorized use of content."
AI versions of Hasbro characters
He added: "It gives brands a trusted way to bring characters into new AI-enabled platforms without losing what makes them authentic."
The platform "opens entirely new surfaces for play and storytelling, from making a store greeting feel magical to transforming a call waiting experience into a moment with a fan’s favorite character", said Cocks.
Alongside the launch of Sixth Wall, Hasbro has announced a strategic partnership with AI audio company ElevenLabs to bring select characters to its Iconic Marketplace.
Available at launch will be 12 Hasbro characters, including Optimus Prime, Megatron, Cobra Commander, Mr. Potato Head, and the cast of Clue. More will follow later this year.
Hasbro said Sixth Wall is focusing on experiences for those aged 13 and older. The company is not currently developing AI products for young children.
It is also "actively contributing to broader industry discussions around safety standards and voluntary guardrails for AI-enabled play experiences".
Last year, Disney announced a $1 billion agreement with OpenAI to bring Disney characters to Sora, OpenAI's short-form generative AI video platform.
The entertainment giant later exited the deal as OpenAI shut down the Sora app.
Images courtesy of Hasbro
