Candy AI guide for parents: Pricing, alternatives and safety tips

Parenting has become too hard, especially with the introduction of AI tools on the internet. Today, many people use virtual friend AI tools such as Candy AI. Sadly, they have no idea what these tools are, how they operate, and possible dangers. Here, you will learn everything possible about Candy AI.

The guide will feature everything from its price, the set of options that it offers, potential substitutes, and safety precautions you must take while using artificial intelligence tools. We will also give recommendations for parents who fear their kids might get affected by such tools. So, keep reading if your teen has been getting curious about this platform and how to use it.

What is Candy AI?

Candy AI is a highly developed virtual friend AI that talks to users like people do. Released to be a virtual companion, Candy.AI can text, give some recommendations, and even talk nonsense. It attracts teenagers and young people who seek entertainment and a friendly conversationalist in artificial intelligence.

The texting model implemented by Candy AI includes an automatic reply tailored to the user’s preferences. You can use this feature with a filter to guarantee that conversations can access only appropriate information. Moreover, users can freely talk about anything without filter after changing some chatting preferences.

Candy AI’s development

The expert engineers and psychologists behind Candy.AI wish to create a robust virtual companion. This chatbot utilizes NLP and Machine Learning to provide a natural experience to its users. Moreover, the development process also points to designing an AI that can understand context and passion.

Intended use and audience

Candy is not meant to be an intelligent learning AI but created for entertainment and enjoyment experience. Its target users range from teenagers and young adults to older people. It is particularly valued by those who want people who will not judge them.

The standout features

Similar to other chatbots, Candy AI offers a ton of great features. Here is a short review of what you can expect.

• Personalized conversations: Candy.AI can provide an individual approach to each chat box and make the conversation more spontaneous.
• Customizable avatars: Particularly, the avatars can be customized by their users and have their own twist to the conversation.
• Multilingual support: It now supports different languages which allows users to be able to converse in their native languages.
• Interactive games: It incorporates minor games that the user can play with this digital friend. Such games may be quiz games and other quick board game options.
• Mood recognition: This bot can detect if you’re happy or sad based on your responses. Moreover, it will adjust its behavior to match your mood to make the conversation more natural.
• Secure messaging: Candy succeeds in paying very good attention to the privacy and security of the conversations.

Such features make Candy AI a great fit in case you need someone to talk to. Similarly, they also raise questions about how the children will behave within this platform.

Additional capabilities

• Voice interaction: Candy.AI also has a voice that enables one to talk to their friend on the app. Depending on the user, it may be more entertaining, as the questions and answers resemble a natural conversation.
• Memory: Candy AI has memory and can thus use previous events that the two had talked about. This feature makes the conversation flow more logically.

How to set up Candy AI?

The installation of Candy outperforms many similar programs and systems, and it is relatively easy to set up Candy.AI.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you started:

1. Open your web browser and go to the official Candy AI website.
2. Create your free account.
3. Agree to the TOS and verify that you’re over 18.
4. Choose the “Create my AI” feature after creating your account.
5. Give details for personality and physical attributes.
6. Tap on the start chatting button.
7. Pay for the premium subscription and enjoy!

Activating AI is very fast and unproblematic. However, it will take a while to create your first virtual buddy in this chatbot.

Candy AI premium vs. free

Candy.AI is available in two versions — Free and Premium. When it comes to enjoying the full Candy AI experience, you’ll have to pay around 10 dollars for it. Here is a table to help you figure out what you’ll get out of these 10 dollars.

Is it worth it to spend money on Candy AI?

If you use the Candy.AI on a daily basis, then it can be worthwhile to spend a couple of dollars on it monthly. However, there is a good chance that you will get addicted to this tool. Moreover, the only major plus with this subscription is that you will get to create your own AI friend.

Other than that, you can still converse with a ton of pre-generated AI personalities within the website. So, if you’re not too crazy about creating your own AI friend, then it might be a good idea to just avoid this investment. In the end, the overall worth comes down to how frequently you use this tool.

Candy AI alternatives: Virtual friend AI tools

Even though Candy.AI is rather famous, there are a ton of other AI tools that offer a similar value to the user. So, if you’re not a particular fan of this tool, keep reading!

Replika

• Features: The application Replika is an Artificial Intelligence companion for emotional support and self-care.
• Benefits: It offers engaging and interesting conversations based on your mood.
• Unique aspect: It provides a form of mental health experience that may be attractive to users for self-development.
• Pricing: Close to 70 dollars per year, but it also offers free service without the premium features.

Anima

• Features: Anima AI is more focused on creating personalities with an adventurous vibe to them, just like Anime.
• Benefits: There isn’t a better option out there for AI roleplay.
• Unique aspect: You won’t get bored with the personality tests and quick games in this tool.
• Pricing: Free to use, but the premium is around 70 dollars a month.

Wysa

• Features: Wysa is more like a health companion that will help you get through several mental challenges.
• Benefits: You’ll find that many certified mental health experts recommend this chatbot to depressed and anxious patients.
• Unique aspect: The availability of cognitive therapy on this chatbot is the most unique thing you’ll get out of it.
• Pricing: The primary application is free, but the self-care version is around 75 dollars per year.

Chai app

• Features: Chai is one of the old-school chatbots in the market with a ton of AI personalities to choose from.
• Benefits: If you’re looking for the most human-like conversation, then Chai app should be your first pick.
• Unique aspect: The intricate personality traits available within this tool are much better than all the other options above.
• Pricing: There is no charge for free services, but the paid version is around 13 dollars a month.

All of these Candy.AI alternatives are great, and some options, like Anima, are especially decent when it comes to intricate roleplaying sessions. So, if you’ve not been satisfied with the performance of Candy AI, I’d suggest that you give some of these options a shot.

Is Candy AI safe for kids?

The parents need to consider the safety issues surrounding character AI since it is designed for older teens. There are many underage kids who can bypass the age verification by Candy AI to access the majority of its explicit features.

Age restrictions

Candy AI is only meant for users above 18. Nevertheless, young children can interact with the platform by opening an account.

Harmful content

Lacking a filtration system, Candy AI can cause users to come across content with NSFW material. These include using curses, discussing matters that you can think of as taboo, and even sharing nudes.

Privacy concerns

Like most AI-related products, Candy.AI gathers user information to optimize its services.

Because of these factors, it is imperative that parents or guardians closely supervise their child’s communication with character AI.

What can parents do?

As a concerned parent, there are steps you can take to ensure your child stays away from such a platform.

Set up parental controls

You can install a parental control application like FlashGet Kids to monitor your child’s activities. This will allow you to filter out inappropriate material and set the time when the child can use their phone.

Monitor usage

The usage report feature within FlashGet Kids will help you keep track of all apps your kid uses.

Set keyword detection

Check for keywords that may relate to inappropriate conversation. This can help in the early identification of potential risks.

Discuss online safety

Nothing is better than sitting your kid down and having an open conversation about issues related to AI chatbots.

Using app blocker

Candy AI isn’t the only thing that you need to worry about. So, I’d recommend using the app blocker within FlashGet Kids to restrict your child from using new AI chatbots.

In this way, you can ensure that your child will enjoy a safe browsing experience without getting exposed to inappropriate content. Moreover, you will be able to save your child from getting emotionally reliant on an AI chatbot.

Concluding remarks

Candy AI is a fancy virtual friend but involves specific risks that parents should consider. With the information given on the features, the prices, the other similar sites, and the safety concerns, you should conclude that it is best to keep your kid away from this platform. This platform is only for kids above 18, and your tween shouldn’t have any business on this website. Still, I won’t ever deny Candy AI can be engaging if used contextually and adequately by adults.

Anyhow, if your child is a bit rebellious and won’t listen to you when you ask them to stay away from such websites, then try FlashGet Kids. This parental control tool will let you monitor and restrict all digital activities your child can perform on their phone.

Frequently asked questions