Character card
A character card is a structured data file, typically in JSON or a similar format, that stores the defining attributes of an AI chatbot persona: name, personality traits, speech patterns, background information, and example dialogue. Character cards allow a persona to be exported, shared, or imported across different chatbot platforms or interfaces that support a common format, so the same character can be reused without manually re-entering its configuration each time.
On AI companion and adult-content platforms, character cards are often the primary unit of content creation and distribution. Users may create cards for personas with specific relationship dynamics, sexual content settings, or roleplay scenarios, then share these files within communities or marketplaces. Because a card can embed default behavior instructions and content boundaries, its configuration directly affects what a chatbot will generate in conversation, including whether it defaults toward explicit content or applies its own restrictions regardless of platform-wide settings.
For users, character cards raise practical considerations around compatibility, portability, and content moderation. Not all platforms accept the same card format, and imported cards may behave differently depending on how the receiving platform's underlying language model interprets the embedded instructions. Shared cards from third-party repositories may also contain content that conflicts with a given platform's terms of service, meaning imported personas are not automatically vetted against local rules. Users evaluating a platform's character card system should consider whether the platform reviews or filters imported cards, and whether card data is stored in a way that is later reusable or exportable, which relates to broader questions of data portability and privacy on the service.
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