Collaboration Will Explore New Digital Engagement Platforms Featuring Sanrio Characters

LOS ANGELES, March 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Genies, the AI avatar technology company powering the next era of interactive digital identity, has entered into a strategic partnership with Sanrio^®, the global lifestyle brand behind one of the world's most iconic character portfolios, including Hello Kitty^®, My Melody™, Kuromi™, and more than 400 others. Through this collaboration, the companies will introduce interactive AI-enabled digital experiences featuring Sanrio characters, giving fans more personalized ways to engage and unlock new layers of fandom.

All character models and expressions will be individually created and supervised by human creators to preserve each character's personality, visual identity, and the integrity of the original world and story. The AI technology is used to enable interactive communication experiences for fans and is not intended to generate or replace the original creative work. Sanrio maintains full oversight throughout the creation process to ensure every character remains true to its origins and the brand fans have cherished for decades.

"Sanrio has built something truly rare, a universe of characters that fans carry with them across every stage of their lives," said Akash Nigam, CEO and Founder of Genies. "At Genies, our avatar technology has the ability to transform iconic IP into interactive characters while maintaining the integrity and soul of what makes these characters beloved. By collaborating with Sanrio, we're introducing new fan-first capabilities that deepen the relationship between fans and the characters they've grown up with."

The collaboration will focus on developing personalized digital experiences that allow fans to connect with Sanrio characters in new ways. The initiative is expected to roll out later this year and will be thoughtfully crafted in close collaboration with Sanrio to uphold the legacy and authenticity of its beloved characters. The first experience will feature gudetama™, whose humor and relatable personality have resonated strongly with Gen Z and Millennial fans, making him a natural fit for early discovery on emerging platforms. Additional characters are expected to follow over time.

"Sanrio has always believed in the power of our characters to bring people together," said Craig Takiguchi, CEO at Sanrio, Inc. "Our strategic collaboration with Genies allows us to explore new technologies that bring our characters to life in interactive ways, creating opportunities for early discovery and engagement with our next-generation audiences. This approach also embraces the philosophy of 'agency' that technology enables and will be a key pillar in building our brand and relationships with fans today and in the future, all while keeping our characters authentic and true to their beloved personalities."

For more information, please visit genies.com.

About Genies
Genies is an AI avatar technology company powering the visual and embodiment layer for LLMs. Through its proprietary technology stack, Genies personifies AI chat, games, and app experiences through its SDKs. Genies has raised $200M from Silver Lake, BOND, and Bob Iger.

About Sanrio^®
Sanrio^® is the global lifestyle brand and home to Hello Kitty^®, created in 1974, and many other beloved character brands such as My Melody™, Kuromi™, LittleTwinStars™, Cinnamoroll™, Pompompurin™, gudetama™, Aggretsuko™, Chococat™, Badtz-Maru™ and Keroppi™. Sanrio was founded on the philosophy that a small gift can bring happiness and friendship to people of all ages. Since 1960, this philosophy has served as the inspiration to offer quality products, services and activities that promote communication and inspire unique consumer experiences across the world. Today, Sanrio's business extends into the entertainment industry with several content series, gaming offerings and theme parks. Sanrio boasts an extensive product lineup which is available in over 130 countries. Sanrio hopes to bring smiles to everyone's faces with their vision of "One World, Connecting Smiles." To learn more about Sanrio, please visit www.sanrio.com and follow @sanrio and @hellokitty on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Pinterest and subscribe to the Hello Kitty and Friends YouTube Channel.

Press Contacts:

Genies
Mike Paffmann
mikep@genies.com

Sanrio
Jonathan Yau
jyau@sanrio.com

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SOURCE Genies