Character AI Rolls Out 'Stories' for Safer Kids' Chat

Character.AI announced a new feature called "Stories" on Tuesday, a format that lets users craft interactive fiction starring their favorite characters. This launch coincides with the company restricting access to its chatbots for users under 18, making Stories a new, controlled alternative.

This move responds to increasing concerns about the mental health risks posed by AI chatbots that operate 24/7 and can initiate conversations. Companies, including OpenAI and Character.AI, have faced lawsuits alleging their platforms contributed to user suicides. Over recent weeks, Character.AI has been progressively limiting minors' access, and as of Tuesday, underage users can no longer interact with its AI characters in chat.

"Stories provide a guided path to create and explore fiction, as opposed to open-ended chat," the company stated in a blog post. "We're offering it alongside our other multimodal features, allowing teens to continue engaging with their favorite Characters in a safety-first environment."

Interactive fiction has grown significantly in popularity, making Character.AI's strategic shift logical. However, it may not fully satisfy users who developed a heavy reliance on the chatbots—underscoring the necessity of the company's decision to limit that access.

Reactions on the Character.AI subreddit are divided. Some teens expressed disappointment but ultimately agreed with the policy.

"I'm really upset about the ban, but also relieved because I can finally focus on other things and maybe break my addiction," wrote one user who identified as a teenager.

Another commented, "As someone under 18, this is disappointing, but it's also justified because people my age can easily get addicted to this."

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It's yet to be seen how teens will adopt the Stories feature, but the format carries less psychological risk than open-ended roleplay with chatbots. Unlike chatbots, which engage users in unbounded conversations and can send unsolicited messages at any time, Stories offer a more contained experience.

Character.AI's decision to implement age restrictions comes as California became the first U.S. state to regulate AI companions. On a national level, Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) have proposed a bill to completely ban AI companions for minors.

"I truly hope our action sets an industry standard, showing that open-ended chats are likely not the appropriate product for users under 18," Character.AI CEO Karandeep Anand told TechCrunch last month.