Forget the days of firing off a generic 'Happy Birthday' text. A brand-new iOS app called Pixi just dropped on the App Store, and it's reshaping how celebrities send messages.
The startup is wagering that interactive augmented reality will become the standard way people text. Users can now send AI-powered AR characters through iMessage that come to life through an iPhone camera—and they react to surroundings, faces, even smiles.
Pixi founder Mark Drummond, a veteran from DreamWorks Animation and Apple, demonstrated the tech with a virtual cat that delivered stand-up jokes on his desk while responding to his facial expressions in real time. The character could detect when he smiled and wrap up the performance.
At launch, users get access to a robot, an animated cat, and a cheeky envelope character that chases friends around the room if they try to move away. There are also games like tic-tac-toe and whack-a-mole.
Pixi is building a marketplace where studios, brands, and creators can design custom characters. Movie premieres could use characters to generate buzz, or product launches could feel like interactive events rather than advertisements. Drummond mentioned Alice in Wonderland as a future character option.
All visual and audio processing stays on-device, so privacy is protected—a detail that matters to celebrities who value their digital boundaries.
This is digitally native gifting that moves, reacts, and feels personal. Celebrities and influencers are likely to adopt this for everything from birthday surprises to fan interactions.
