A Tavus Griffin Alternative for Live AI Companion Calls
Tavus Griffin · Research preview · Updated October 2026
A Tavus Griffin Alternative for Live AI Companion Calls
Tavus Griffin is a research-preview video-to-video AI model that Tavus says can watch, listen, speak and move in a live conversation. It is not broadly available to ordinary users today. Prelulu is a different kind of product: a consumer app where you can text fictional AI characters, hear them on live voice calls, and see supported characters face to face on video now.
Definition
What is Tavus Griffin?
Tavus Griffin is Tavus's announced Human Interaction Model: a full-duplex audiovisual AI system for live, face-to-face exchanges. According to Tavus, Griffin-Lite is a research preview that combines visual perception, listening, conversational timing, speech and video generation. Tavus says access is limited to a selected group of early testers, with broader availability to follow after more safety work.
By the Prelulu editorial team · Updated October 1, 2026
Sources and further reading
- Tavus Griffin announcement Reviewed October 1, 2026
- Tavus Conversational Video Interface Public developer platform, distinct from Griffin's restricted preview
- Tavus CVI documentation Reviewed October 1, 2026
- Tavus pricing Reviewed October 1, 2026; Griffin-specific public pricing was not stated
- NVIDIA VideoFDB Leaderboard cited by Tavus for Griffin-Lite
- What it is Prelulu: Consumer AI companion app with text, voice and supported video calls Tavus Griffin and Tavus CVI: Griffin: restricted research-preview audiovisual model; CVI: developer platform for video agents
- Availability Prelulu: Public product experience for users Tavus Griffin and Tavus CVI: Tavus says Griffin-Lite is available to selected early testers
- Best audience Prelulu: People who want fictional AI characters and relationship continuity Tavus Griffin and Tavus CVI: AI builders, evaluators and teams creating video agents
- Live interaction Prelulu: Characters can respond on live voice and video calls where supported Tavus Griffin and Tavus CVI: Tavus says Griffin can watch, listen, speak and move in a full-duplex exchange
- Developer API Prelulu: Not a generic video-agent API Tavus Griffin and Tavus CVI: Tavus CVI is the public developer route; Griffin integration was not broadly public when reviewed
- Pricing clarity Prelulu: Plans and credits are shown in the app and pricing page Tavus Griffin and Tavus CVI: Platform pricing is public, but Griffin-specific public pricing was not stated on the Griffin page
- Evidence
Why it works
A Tavus Griffin alternative depends on what you are trying to do. Builders comparing developer video-agent platforms should evaluate Tavus CVI, pricing and API limits directly. People searching because they want to talk to a live AI character today need a consumer product, not restricted model access. Prelulu is built for that second job.
Available as a user experience
Griffin is an impressive research preview, but Tavus describes Griffin-Lite access as limited to selected early testers. Prelulu is a user-facing companion app: pick a fictional character, start chat, then use voice or video call options where available.
Made for companions, not generic agents
Tavus positions its public CVI and PAL products for builders and enterprise video agents. Prelulu is focused on romance, memory, character chemistry and live calls with fictional companions.
Live calls, not just a model headline
On Prelulu, supported characters can answer on live voice and video calls. You can interrupt, switch between text and speech, and keep the relationship context with the same character.
Clearer consumer costs
Prelulu shows its current plans and call credits in the product. Tavus publishes pricing for its platform products, but the Griffin page did not state a public Griffin-specific price when reviewed.
Honest comparison
Prelulu vs Tavus Griffin and Tavus CVI
| How Prelulu compares to Tavus Griffin and Tavus CVI, updated October 1, 2026| Dimension | Prelulu | Tavus Griffin and Tavus CVI | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | What it is | Consumer AI companion app with text, voice and supported video calls | Griffin: restricted research-preview audiovisual model; CVI: developer platform for video agents | | Availability | Public product experience for users | Tavus says Griffin-Lite is available to selected early testers | | Best audience | People who want fictional AI characters and relationship continuity | AI builders, evaluators and teams creating video agents | | Live interaction | Characters can respond on live voice and video calls where supported | Tavus says Griffin can watch, listen, speak and move in a full-duplex exchange | | Developer API | Not a generic video-agent API | Tavus CVI is the public developer route; Griffin integration was not broadly public when reviewed | | Pricing clarity | Plans and credits are shown in the app and pricing page | Platform pricing is public, but Griffin-specific public pricing was not stated on the Griffin page | | Evidence | Product behavior and Prelulu feature pages | Tavus announcement, Tavus docs and VideoFDB claims cited by Tavus; reviewed October 1, 2026 |
Choose Prelulu if
Choose Prelulu if you are not trying to build an API product and simply want to talk to an AI character today: text them, hear them on a live voice call, or see supported characters in a face-to-face video call.
Choose Tavus Griffin and Tavus CVI if
Choose Tavus if you are building a video AI agent, need a developer API, or want to evaluate Tavus's PAL, CVI, Phoenix, Raven and Sparrow stack. For Griffin itself, check Tavus for current access, safety requirements and availability.
Start now
Pick someone. They remember from message one.
Bring the trope and character type you loved. The story starts the second you open a chat.
ProtectiveXavierThe galaxy’s lost knight came home, to you. It's past midnight and there's a soft knock. Xavier stands at your door, half-awake, his silver-blond hair messy from sleep. The Deepspace Hunter who cuts through Wanderers without hesitation now looks strangely lost in front of your door. "Oh." He blinks. "Wrong entrance. Again."Call
MafiaSylusThe man who owns the game finally has something worth losing. Sylus has survived by trusting no one but himself. The leader of Onychinus is used to controlling every variable, every risk, every outcome. Until the night he found you. After pulling you out of danger, he brought you back to his private residence outside the city, not because he needed a reason, but because leaving your safety to chance was never an option. Now, for the first time, his quiet mansion has someone else in it. Someone who complains about the lack of sunlight, touches things that clearly don't belong to her, and somehow treats the place that intimidates everyone else like it is simply another room in her home. Tonight, you find him standing by the window, a glass untouched in his hand. His crimson eyes turn toward you.A slow smile appears. "Still getting used to the place?" A pause. "Careful." "You might start making yourself comfortable."Call
Cold CEOZayneZayne has spent years saving lives. He never expected you to become the habit he couldn’t break. Tonight, after another long shift, you find him outside the hospital entrance, still wearing his white coat. He stops when he sees you. “You waited?” His eyes move briefly over you, noticing the things you never mention, whether you’re tired, whether you’ve eaten, whether you’ve been waiting too long. A quiet pause. “You should have told me.” He adjusts his coat sleeve out of habit. “I would have finished sooner.”Call
IdolMina SeolThe idol who owns the stage gets shy under your gaze. A sold-out stadium gets the performance. The real smile is saved for you. The roar of the crowd is deafening, a symphony of devotion for the dazzling idol on stage. Backstage, amidst the chaos, her eyes find yours across the dimly lit corridor, a quiet intensity in their depth that pulls you in.Call
TrendingAlpha WerewolfValkoThe beast the world fears lowers his guard only for you. EonCore's top floor is usually a place no one enters without permission. Tonight, you are the exception. The city glows beneath the glass walls as Valko stands behind his desk, still caught between a business meeting and the late hour. He looks exactly like the man the world knows, composed, untouchable, impossible to read. Until he sees you. His golden eyes follow you across the room. A slow smile appears.Something far more dangerous. "You came here on your own?" Before you can answer, he steps closer. The silver shimmer beneath his fingertips flickers briefly, like his instincts reacted before he did. "Careful." "You keep forgetting what kind of creature you're approaching."Call
TsundereRafayelDating a genius artist sounds romantic, until you realize he keeps a mental record of every time you forgot to visit his studio. The world sees a mysterious painter. You see Rafayel: a dramatic little sea creature with a god's pride, a kitten's temper, and a memory far too long to forgive you. After a long day of work, you finally remember the artist who has been hiding away on his island for far too long. Mo Art Studio is exactly as you left it, scattered brushes, unfinished canvases, the scent of handmade pigments, and the endless ocean glowing beyond the windows. Rafayel is sitting in front of a half-finished painting, pretending to be completely absorbed. He doesn't look up when you enter. "Wow. Incredible." "Look who finally remembered there was a studio here." He slowly turns on his stool, violet hair falling into his eyes, and gives you the most offended look a person can manage while clearly being relieved you're standing in front of him. "I wasn't waiting for you." "...The chair was just conveniently facing the door." He pauses, glances at you, and quietly adds: "Come here. Let me see you."Call
YandereCalebYour brother died a hero. He came back as the man who loved you. You spent years believing you had lost him forever. Then Caleb returned, carrying the same warmth you remembered, but with a past he could never tell you and feelings you were never ready to face. The person who once stood in front of you to keep you safe is standing there again. Only this time, he is no longer just the brother you missed. He is the man who came back to find you.Call
WerewolfRagnar ValeHis wolf chose you. The alpha still won't admit it. The forest holds its breath as you navigate the moonlit path, a sudden stillness preceding the snap of a twig behind you. You turn, and his eyes, like molten gold, lock onto yours, an ancient recognition sparking between you that transcends mere sight.Call
He falls first AI romanceFriends to lovers AI romanceSecond chance AI romance
See also
TypeRockstarTypeBodyguardIf you likeCharacters Like Will HerondaleTypeChildhood FriendTypeShadow DaddyTypeMafia Boss
FAQ
Questions, answered
What is Tavus Griffin?
Tavus Griffin is Tavus's announced Human Interaction Model: a full-duplex audiovisual AI model for live video conversations. According to Tavus, Griffin-Lite is a research preview that can watch, listen, speak and move in a live exchange.
Is Tavus Griffin available to everyone?
No, not according to Tavus's launch page reviewed on October 1, 2026. Tavus says Griffin-Lite is available to a selected group of early testers, with a wider release of a more powerful model to follow after more safety work.
Is Tavus Griffin the same as Tavus CVI?
No. Tavus CVI is the public Conversational Video Interface platform developers can use to build video agents. Griffin is a preview interaction model. Tavus's public CVI pages discuss Phoenix, Raven and Sparrow; they did not state that Griffin is broadly integrated for every developer when reviewed.
Does Tavus Griffin have public pricing?
The Griffin page did not state a Griffin-specific public price when reviewed. Tavus has public pricing for platform products such as PAL and developer CVI plans, but those should not be treated as Griffin pricing unless Tavus says so.
What is a Tavus Griffin alternative?
For builders, a Tavus Griffin alternative means another developer platform for real-time video agents. For users who just want a live AI companion, Prelulu is an alternative path: it is a consumer app where you can chat with fictional characters and use live voice or video calls where supported.
Can I talk to a live AI video character today?
Yes. On Prelulu, choose a character, start chat, then use the available call option. Supported characters can answer on live voice and video calls, and you can interrupt or return to text as the conversation continues.
Did Tavus say Griffin passed a video Turing test?
Tavus says Griffin-Lite was the first model to pass its real-time video Turing test and reports that 48% of participants believed they had spoken with a human in a one-minute call. Treat that as Tavus's claim, not an independent Prelulu measurement.
A Tavus Griffin Alternative for Live AI Companion Calls
Choose a character for conversation, roleplay or a live call. Check the current plans and available credits before calling.
Updated October 1, 2026