Character.AI announced Tuesday the launch of “Stories,” a new format that allows users to create interactive fiction featuring their favorite characters. This feature is an alternative to the company’s chatbots, which are no longer accessible to users under 18 as of this week.
The change follows growing concerns about the mental health risks of AI chatbots that are available 24/7 and capable of initiating conversations with users. Several lawsuits have been filed against companies like OpenAI and Character.AI for their alleged role in user suicides. Over the past month, Character.AI has been gradually removing access to minors, and as of Tuesday, underage users can no longer chat with its AI characters at all.
“Stories provide a guided way to create and explore fiction, instead of open discussion,” the company said in a blog post. “It will be offered alongside our other multimodal features, so teens can continue to interact with their favorite characters in a safety-focused setting.”
Interactive fiction has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, so Character.AI’s pivot makes sense. But that may not be enough to satiate users who have become too dependent on chatbots – all the more reason why Character.AI’s decision to limit access to chatbots was justified.
On the Character.AI subreddit, reactions are mixed. Based on their comments, some teens say that although they are disappointed, they think it was ultimately the right decision.
“I’m so angry about the ban, but also so happy because now I can do other things and my addiction might finally be over,” wrote one user who identified themselves as a teenager.
Another said: “As someone under 18 this is just disappointing. But also rightfully so as people my age here are getting addicted to it.”
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How teens will use the Stories feature remains to be seen, but the format is less psychologically dubious than role-playing with chatbots. Unlike Stories, chatbots interact directly with users in open conversations and can send spontaneous messages even when users are not actively using the app.
Character.AI’s decision to limit access to chatbots comes at a time when California recently became the first state to regulate AI companions. Meanwhile, Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) have introduced a national bill that would completely ban AI companions for minors.
“I really hope that we lead the way and set a standard in the industry that for those under 18, open discussions are probably not the path or the product to offer,” Karandeep Anand, CEO of Character.AI, told TechCrunch last month.
