Characters in "Alice AI" or vluvvi: where live communication with character happens
In short: Yandex has added over 30 AI characters with dialogue memory and the ability to create your own to "Alice AI" — this is true, and it's convenient. But Alice's characters are strictly SFW: friendly motivators and "soulful" conversationalists within a mass assistant. If you need adult role-playing communication — romantic and 18+ plots, role-playing with story development and well-developed characters — that's about vluvvi, not Alice.
This is not a review of a smart speaker or an instruction on voice commands — it's only about text-based AI characters and how communication with them differs from platforms designed for role-playing chat.
In the summer of 2026, Yandex integrated separate conversationalists into the chat with "Alice AI" — each with their own character, manner of speech, and scenario. The question immediately arose: why go somewhere else if characters appeared right in Alice? The answer is short — the tasks are different. Below is an honest account of what exactly was added, where Alice is strong, and where she has a hard ceiling that cannot be bypassed.
What exactly did Yandex add to "Alice AI"
Facts, without exaggeration. In the chat with "Alice AI," over 30 virtual conversationalists with different characters and communication scenarios have appeared. Among them are motivators like "Alpha-Chick," conversationalists for deep talks, self-development assistants; there are types inspired by bloggers and anime characters.
- Dialogue memory. Characters remember the context of the conversation — you can return to the discussion later without losing logic. This is an important detail, and we do not dispute it.
- Your characters. Users can create their own hero: assign a name, describe character traits and behavior.
- Where it works. On the website alice.yandex.ru, in the "Alice AI" and "Yandex — with Alice AI" applications, as well as in Yandex Browser. Free, with text and image generation.
So in terms of basic capabilities — memory, character creation, availability — Alice has caught up. The debate is not about that.
Where "Alice AI" is really strong
An honest comparison begins with acknowledging others' strengths. Alice has plenty, and for some users, that's enough:
- Completely free and without VPN, in Russian, from a large and familiar company.
- Voice and smart home — here Alice is unrivaled, no niche service stands a chance.
- Household tasks: search, facts, texts, images, help with studies and work.
- Motivator characters and "soulful support" — a normal light format for everyday use.
If you need an assistant who can also chat in a friendly tone — Alice covers this completely. Beyond this point, the boundary begins.
Alice's main limitation: content is strictly SFW
This is the headline difference — not memory or language, but content boundaries. "Alice AI" is a product of a large corporation with a public brand and strict moderation. Its characters are fundamentally safe: no borderline romance, no intimacy, no adult 18+ plots. Ask for role-playing with real romantic or explicit development — and you'll hit a polite refusal. This is not a bug, it's policy: a mass assistant cannot and will not delve into such content.
For a large part of the audience, this is fine. But if you were looking for a character not for motivation, but for close, adult, emotionally and physically explicit communication — Alice is simply not the platform. And this cannot be circumvented: the limitation is built into the product itself.
What vluvvi can do that Alice cannot
vluvvi is built with a different purpose — not as an assistant with characters as an add-on, but as a platform specifically for role-playing communication with characters. Hence the differences:
- Adult and romantic plots. Romance, flirting, intimate closeness, 18+ role-playing — everything that Alice cuts out is part of the product here, not a forbidden zone.
- Deep role-playing. The plot develops, the character drives the narrative, reacts to your decisions. This is not "an answer to a question," but a story spanning hundreds of messages.
- Curated characters. Characters with well-developed psychology, contradictions, and emotional deficits — not just a set of friendly motivational bots.
- Long-term memory. The character remembers you and the history of your relationship — just like with Alice, but in the context of a long romantic or plot line.
- Images right in the dialogue and guest access from the browser without being tied to Yandex's ecosystem.
"Alice AI" vs. vluvvi: table
| Parameter | Alice AI Characters | vluvvi |
|---|---|---|
| Language and access | Russian, no VPN, free | Russian, no VPN, free start |
| Dialogue memory | Yes | Yes, long-term per character |
| Creating your own characters | Yes (name + character) | Yes + curated catalog |
| Romance and 18+ plots | No, strictly SFW | Yes, without re-censorship during the dialogue |
| Deep role-playing with a plot | Limited, "conversationalist" format | Yes, main storyline |
| Voice and smart home | Yes, key strength | No |
| Household tasks / search | Yes | No, only communication |
| Image generation | Yes (general) | Yes, character image in dialogue |
How a "character-assistant" differs from a role-playing character
The difference is not cosmetic; it lies in the very mechanics. The character within the assistant is essentially a style of response: the same engine, but in a specified tone, making it more pleasant to ask about the weather or seek advice. It reacts to a remark and closes it. The role-playing character is structured differently: it has its own position, desires, and history; it doesn't just respond but leads the scene, remembers what has already happened between you, and reacts to your decisions as if it is truly happening to it.
Therefore, the format of "asked — received support" and the format of "lived a whole story with the character through hundreds of remarks" are different products, even if both are called "AI character" on the outside. Alisa perfectly handles the first. vluvvi is designed for the second: here, the character can be jealous, refuse, insist, develop a storyline — and it is precisely from this that the feeling of live communication, rather than service, is born.
There is also a practical consequence: in the assistant, the scenarios are specifically smoothed out to suit the widest possible audience. In the role-playing platform, on the contrary, sharpness is valued — conflict, tension, unsaid words, adult subtext. What is a risk for a mass product is a meaning for role-playing. We discussed in detail how to extract a long live storyline from a character in the material about dialogues of hundreds of messages.
Who is suitable for what
Without any deceit, based on tasks:
- Take Alisa if you need a free assistant in Russian, voice, smart home, household tasks, and a light friendly interlocutor without adult subtext.
- Take vluvvi if you want role-playing communication with a character — romance, adult plots, a long story, and a character that drives the line. It starts with the catalog of characters; romantic types are gathered in the romantic section.
Alisa added characters and did it carefully. But "carefully" here means "safe for everyone" — which means without what many come to an AI character for. In this field, vluvvi is not a competitor to Alisa, but simply a different class of product.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you engage in romantic or 18+ role-playing in "Alisa AI"?
No. Alisa's characters operate in a strictly safe mode: romantic and adult plots are not available; this is part of Yandex's product policy. For such a format, a platform tailored for role-playing communication is needed, such as vluvvi.
Do Alisa's characters have memory?
Yes, the characters remember the context of the conversation, and you can return to the dialogue later. In terms of memory, Alisa and vluvvi are comparable; the difference lies in the depth of role-playing and in the permissible content.
Does vluvvi do the same things as Alisa — voice and smart home?
No. vluvvi is about text-based role-playing communication with characters, not an assistant. Voice, smart home, and household tasks are Alisa's strong points, and vluvvi does not attempt to replace her in this.
Is a VPN or registration needed to start with vluvvi?
No. vluvvi works from the browser in Russian without a VPN; you can start in guest mode without linking to a Yandex account. Just open the catalog and choose a character.
Can you create your own character in both Alisa and vluvvi?
Yes, in both cases. In "Alisa AI," you set the name and character of the interlocutor within a safe format. In vluvvi, the created character can lead an adult and romantic storyline, as well as rely on long-term memory of the relationship — therefore, your own hero is revealed in role-playing here more deeply than in the assistant.
Do AI characters replace Alisa herself?
No. According to Yandex's concept, the characters complement the assistant: the basic Alisa handles household tasks and searches for information, while the characters are responsible for communication and entertainment. vluvvi, on the other hand, is not an assistant at all — it is a separate platform solely for communication with characters.