2026 Program Overview
Program Overview
AI Character Awards 2026 is the first edition of the AI Character Awards. With the calendar year 2026 as the target period, we select and recognize projects that have shown outstanding activity in the AI character field.
Target Period
January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026
Award Ceremony
December 12, 2026 (Sat) — Tokyo
Process
- Research Phase (Feb 2026 onward): Continuous observation of the field, candidate list construction
- First Selection Meeting (Oct 2026): Narrow each category to at most five candidates
- Second Selection Meeting (Nov 2026): Final selection based on the five evaluation axes
- Announcement & Ceremony (Dec 12, 2026): Public announcement and award ceremony
Selection Body
Selection is performed by the Selection Committee inside AI Character Association. For this first edition, individual committee member names are not disclosed.
Evaluation Axes
Five axes: Character Identity, Technical Implementation, Audience Experience, Cultural Impact, Sustainability.
Notes on the First Edition
- No self-nomination / referral: This first edition uses an association-led research format, so we do not accept self-nominations or third-party referrals
- Quantitative metrics are reference only: Follower counts and view counts are reference information; they are not the sole basis for decisions
- Designed for the long term: Operated with the assumption of yearly continuation, with the option to refine criteria each year