Klara
Klara is the novel's main character and its narrator. An AF, or Artificial Friend, Klara was created to give companionship and friendship to children of wealthy parents, most of whom are insulated from the rest of the world. Klara is keenly interested in the outside world and has excellent observational qualities. She is chosen to be the companion to Josie, a sick teenage girl, and we later learn she is intended to replace Josie by having her consciousness transferred into the body of a lookalike Josie robot in case Josie dies of her illness. Klara only wants what is best for Josie and tries to help her by appealing to the Sun, whom she anthropomorphizes as an almost God-like figure. Even though she is not human, Ishiguro explores what it actually means to be truly human, for Klara possesses traits and experiences feelings such as compassion, empathy, disappointment, excitement, hope, and sadness.
Josie
Josie is a teenage girl suffering from an unknown illness as a result of being "lifted," or genetically enhanced in order to have better social and economic opportunities. She is smart, kind, and a talented artist, but she does not know what her future looks like because of her illness. Klara brings her much comfort, though Josie is not always kind to Klara as she tries to navigate her illness, her future plans, and her attempt to form an identity.
Rick
Rick is a childhood friend and neighbor of Josie. The two make a pact when they are young to stay together, which holds through their teenage years while Josie is sick. Rick is not "lifted" and thus his social and economic opportunities are limited. He is intelligent though, and works on drones that he hopes will help him find a career. He is burdened by taking care of his mother but does not want to leave her. Though initially skeptical of Klara, he comes to trust her and treats her like a real person.
The Mother (Chrissie)
A middle-aged woman, tall and elegant and tired-looking, Chrissie or the Mother is Josie's and Sal's mother and formerly Paul's wife. She has a high-ranking job, which she says she needs to keep in order to take care of Josie, who is very sick. The Mother clearly loves Josie and cannot stomach losing her like she lost Sal, so she moves forward with a plan to have an AF replace Josie if Josie dies.
Manager
The Manager is the woman who runs Klara's store. She is always encouraging of the AFs and compliments Klara frequently on her intelligence and empathy. By the end of the novel we learn she is no longer selling AFs.
Rosa
Rosa is Klara's close AF friend in the store. She is sweet and graceful, but she does not pick up on as many nuances as Klara does. She is eventually adopted, but Klara learns later that her situation did not turn out well.
Boy AF Rex
An AF in Klara's store, he is a B2 model, which means he has trouble absorbing the Sun.
The Father (Paul)
Paul or the Father is Josie's father and the Mother's ex-husband. He was a high-ranking engineer before the robot substitutions, and although he was initially dismayed at losing his position, he and other elite white professionals live together in a community in which they feel like their new lives are much better. Miss Helen accuses him of having "fascistic" leanings, and he does admit it is important to defend oneself from dangerous others. He demonstrates a great love for Josie, though he confides in Klara that he agrees with Capaldi that there is no such thing as an essential nature in humans.
Melania Housekeeper
The gruff housekeeper who takes care of Josie, she is initially hostile towards Klara but eventually softens when she realizes they are on the same side of wanting the best for Josie.
Sal
Sal is the Mother and Father's older daughter and sister of Josie. After she is lifted, she grows ill and dies.
Mr. Capaldi
Mr. Capaldi is the scientist and pseudo-artist who agrees to create a new Josie that Klara's consciousness will inhabit. He is convinced that there is nothing like a "soul" or anything that makes humans different than robots, and thus feels no compunction about his work.
Danny, Scrub, Missy, and the Long-Armed Girl
They are young adults who are "lifted" and attend the interaction meeting at Josie's house.
Miss Helen
Rick's mother, Miss Helen is an English woman who moved to America. She has some sort of unknown illness, perhaps alcoholism, but is keenly aware of the need to make sure Rick, whom she did not end up lifting, has a good life for himself. She is straightforward and somewhat brash, but has her son's best interests at heart.
Mr. Vance
Mr. Vance is a former lover of Miss Helen's. He is now quite rich and influential, though she is not interested in him romantically. She wishes to ask him to help Rick get into Atlas Brookings, and he is annoyed by her request since she treated him poorly in the past.
