Updated Oct 14, 2026
Is Character.AI shutting down? Bankruptcy sale timeline and what it means for your data
Short answer: not as of Oct 14, 2026. The service is still running while the company looks for a buyer. If no buyer continues the platform, the company says it will be wound down.
What Character.AI has said
- The platform remains available during the sale process, and paid subscriptions continue.
- Its privacy policy has not changed.
- You can export your data or delete your account in the app or on the website.
- It expects the sale to complete in late November or early December 2026.
- If no buyer agrees to continue running the platform, it will be wound down.
Source: Character.AI blog, Oct 12, 2026. Court filings are published by the claims agent at cases.stretto.com/chartech.
Timeline
| Date | What | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 12, 2026 | Character.AI (Character Technologies, Inc.) files for Chapter 11 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware to enable a sale of its assets. | Happened |
| Oct 2026 | The company says the platform remains available and that users can export or delete their data. | Official statement |
| Nov 20, 2026 | Bid deadline for buyers. | Proposed, needs court approval |
| Nov 23, 2026 | Auction, held only if there are qualified competing bids. | Proposed, needs court approval |
| Nov 24, 2026 | Sale hearing. | Proposed, needs court approval |
| Late Nov – early Dec 2026 | Character.AI expects the sale to complete. | Company estimate |
Proposed dates come from the bidding procedures filed with the court and can change. We update this page after each court milestone.
What this means for your characters and chats
Nothing has been deleted, and the company has not announced a shutdown date. But the outcome depends on the sale, and an official export takes weeks to prepare. The safest move is to keep your own copy now:
- Save the definitions of characters you created, because the export may not include them.
- Request your official data export, and set a reminder so the 7-day download link doesn’t expire.
News coverage
This page summarizes public statements and filings for general information. It is not legal advice.