Pixi’s new messaging app is betting on augmented reality to elevate text messages into a richer, more dynamic experience. Instead of static GIFs or emoji reactions, users can send AI-powered AR characters that react to their surroundings in real time.

The app, available now for iOS, allows users to share virtual cats and animated envelopes that can detect faces and voices, even chasing friends or playing games like tic-tac-toe. Users might find themselves laughing at a cat performing stand-up jokes on their desk, all while the character responds to their emotions.

Pixi’s founder Mark Drummond hopes this app will bring a greater sense of presence to digital conversations, allowing users to create shared experiences and playfully interact with characters that can be personalised or even generated by users themselves in the future. The app is free for users but could offer monetisation opportunities through branded characters.

For now, the app is limited to iPhone models from 11 onwards, but it aims to expand to Android devices and other messaging platforms soon. With Alice in Wonderland as a potential character, the possibilities seem endless – or at least, more exciting than just sending a simple text message about a happy birthday.