Terms of Service

Effective Date: 9th December 2024

1. General Information

Welcome to avatar-research.com! By accessing or using this website, you agree to comply with and be bound by these Terms of Service. Please read these terms carefully. If you do not agree to these terms, you must not use this website.

2. Purpose and Intended Use

This is a non-commercial website designed for educational and psychological research. It may be used for:

  • Experimenting with AI-based avatars when starting research projects.
  • Student studies involving AI-based avatars within academic or research contexts.
  • Educational purposes, such as role-plays and simulation-based learning within higher education settings, to a limited extent. Do not use this service in a large-scale context (e.g., a class with more than 30 students) and very regularly (e.g., weekly).

Prohibited Use: This platform is a research tool and must not be used for private or commercial learning purposes (e.g., language learning or corporate training). Accounts engaging in such unauthorized uses will be suspended, and future access will be permanently revoked.

3. Free Use Disclaimer

The use of this website is currently free of charge, as we strive to support educational and psychological research. However, each action on the platform generates costs through third-party APIs, such as OpenAI and Google services. To cover these expenses, we are actively seeking funding to ensure that researchers can continue to benefit from the platform.

To maintain fairness and ensure proper usage, users must provide an email address associated with a higher education institution. This helps us verify eligibility and keep the platform focused on its intended academic and research purposes.

While we will do our best to keep the platform free for eligible users, it is possible that fees or subscription plans may be introduced in the future to cover rising costs. Should this become necessary, users will be notified in advance, and we will ensure that any changes are communicated transparently.

4. API Usage

The functionality of this website depends on third-party APIs, such as OpenAI and Google services, which generate costs. In the future, it may be necessary for users to provide their own API keys to continue using certain features. Users will be given instructions and support for setting up their own API keys if required.

5. AI-Based Avatars

Participants are welcome to create, edit, and share AI-based avatars through this website under the following conditions:

  • Avatars and related content are for non-commercial use only.
  • Avatars may be shared and used for educational and research purposes, provided proper credit is given to the platform where applicable.
  • If you use avatar-research.com for research purposes, you must cite:

    Fink, M. C., Robinson, S. A., & Ertl, B. (2024). AI-based avatars are changing the way we learn and teach: benefits and challenges. Frontiers in Education(9), 1416307. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1416307

  • Users are not permitted to sell or commercialize avatars created on this platform.

6. User Responsibility and Backups

Users are responsible for managing and maintaining their own avatar cases and configurations. While the website strives to create and maintain backups to safeguard user data, we cannot guarantee the storage or preservation of data indefinitely.

To ensure data integrity, users are strongly encouraged to create and maintain their own backups of cases and configurations as needed. This ensures that valuable data remains accessible even in unforeseen circumstances.

7. Changes to the Terms of Service

We reserve the right to update or modify these Terms of Service at any time without prior notice. Users are responsible for regularly reviewing these terms to stay informed about any changes. Continued use of the website after changes are made constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

8. Liability Disclaimer

While we strive to provide accurate and reliable services, we make no guarantees regarding the accuracy, reliability, or availability of the website or its content. Use of this website is at your own risk, and we shall not be liable for any direct or indirect damages resulting from your use of the website.

9. Contact Information

For any questions or concerns regarding these Terms of Service, please contact us at:

Email: Maximilian Fink