Chai AI
AI platform
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chai AI (also known as Chai Research) is an American artificial intelligence (AI) company that operates a chatbot platform where users can create, share, and interact with character-based chatbots powered by large language models (LLMs).[1] The company is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.
 | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Artificial intelligence |
| Founded | 2021 |
| Founder | William Beauchamp |
| Headquarters | Palo Alto , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | William Beauchamp (CEO) |
| Products | Chai app Chaiverse |
| Services | Conversational AI platform Character-based chatbots LLM developer platform |
| Website | chai-research |
History
Chai was founded in 2021 by William Beauchamp, a former quantitative trader educated at Cambridge, who began developing the initial prototype in 2020 in Cambridge, England.[2] The company launched in 2021 and relocated to Palo Alto in 2022.[3]
In June 2023, Chai raised US$2 million in a pre-seed funding round.[4] In September 2023, GPU cloud provider CoreWeave invested in the company at a valuation of US$450 million. In January 2024, Chai Research reported a $450 million valuation following an investment from cloud computing provider CoreWeave.[5] In September 2023, GPU cloud provider CoreWeave invested in the company at a valuation of US$450 million. In January 2024, the company raised additional funds. In July 2024, authorities in Belgium launched an investigation into the company following reports of a man dying by suicide following extensive chats on the Chai app.[6][7][8]
In 2025, CoreWeave and AMD made further investment in the company, which brought total funding to more than US$55 million. As of 2025, Chai had 1 million daily active users.[9][10]
In the first quarter of 2026, it reported annual recurring revenue of approximately US$80 million and a valuation of US$2.4 billion.[11]
Platform
The Chai is available on iOS and Android. It gives users a swipeable feed of user-generated AI characters. Users can chat with existing bots or create their own using no-code tools that define a character's name, opening message, personality traits, and backstory. The app focuses on social and entertainment use cases, including role-playing, interactive fiction, and companionship.[12][13]
Chai initially relied on GPT-J before transitioning to proprietary in-house models trained on user-feedback data. It uses reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF), Direct Preference Optimization (DPO), and a technique it calls "model blending," which ensembles multiple LLMs at the conversation level.[13][8]
In 2023, Chai launched Chaiverse, a developer platform where third-party researchers and developers can submit LLMs for live evaluation by users, with cash prizes based on engagement metrics.[14] The platform operates on a freemium model with free ad-supported access and paid Premium and Ultra tiers.[12]
Reception
In 2022, Canadian writer Sheila Heti published a five-part series in The Paris Review, documenting conversations with chatbots on Chai, including the platform’s default bot Eliza. Heti later used those conversations while developing a novel.[15]
In January 2026, CHAI introduced country-based access tiers requiring users in designated "low tier" regions to subscribe for access, while users in "high tier" regions retained free ad-supported access. Users criticized the rollout for poor communication and inconsistencies in the list of affected countries. Following backlash, the company announced a "basic" tier with unlimited messages and ads intended to cover electricity and infrastructure costs.[16]
In February 2026, CHAI faced additional criticism after unannounced token limits froze conversations for both free and paid users, with some subscribers reporting lockouts lasting from several hours to a week.[17]