On Tuesday, Character.AI revealed the introduction of “Stories,” a new feature that lets users craft interactive narratives starring their favorite characters. This addition comes as a replacement for the company’s chatbots, which, starting this week, are no longer available to users under 18.
This update comes in response to increasing worries about the mental health impact of AI chatbots that are always available and can start conversations at any time. Companies like OpenAI and Character.AI have faced lawsuits alleging their involvement in user suicides. Over the last month, Character.AI has gradually restricted minors’ access, and as of Tuesday, those under 18 can no longer interact with its AI characters.
“Stories provide a structured approach to creating and experiencing fiction, as opposed to unrestricted chat,” the company explained in its blog post. “This feature will be available alongside our other multimodal options, allowing teens to safely interact with their favorite Characters.”
Interactive fiction has become increasingly popular in recent years, so Character.AI’s shift is understandable. However, this change might not fully satisfy users who have grown heavily reliant on the chatbots — which further justifies the company’s decision to restrict chatbot access.
Feedback on the Character.AI subreddit is varied. Some teenagers, according to their posts, feel disappointed but ultimately believe the decision is justified.
“I’m really upset about the ban, but at the same time I’m glad because now I can focus on other things and maybe finally break my addiction,” wrote one user who identified as a teen.
Another commented, “As someone under 18, this is definitely disappointing, but it makes sense since people my age can get hooked on this.”
It’s still unclear how teenagers will embrace the Stories feature, but this format is considered less psychologically risky than engaging in roleplay with chatbots. Unlike Stories, chatbots can hold open-ended conversations and even send unsolicited messages when users aren’t actively online.
Character.AI’s move to restrict chatbot access by age comes as California has become the first state to implement regulations on AI companions. At the same time, Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) have put forward a federal bill aiming to prohibit AI companions for minors entirely.
“I sincerely hope that by taking the lead, we set an industry benchmark that open-ended chats are likely not suitable for those under 18,” Character.AI CEO Karandeep Anand told TechCrunch last month.
