Analysis | This Chatbot Is Banning Teens From Their AI Companions. Will It Work?

Character.AI launches Stories for teens after banning them from chats

Character.AI, under threat from several lawsuits over its alleged negative impact on teen mental health, is banning underage users from open-ended chats on its site. Instead, teens will be allowed to use a new “Stories” format that, unlike regular chats, offers “structured” choose-your-own-adventure-style experiences with the AI characters on its platform. The feature is available to everyone, but Character.AI is pitching it as a way to “enhance…

Analysis | This chatbot is banning teens from their AI companions. Will it work?

Character.ai launches guided Stories format after banning teens from its chatbots

Character.ai has introduced Stories, its first format that was specifically created to "enhance [teens'] experience," on the same day the company removed their ability to engage with its chatbots. Stories works similarly to choose-your-own-adventure apps that offer interactive visual novels users can play. The company describes Stories as a "visual, narrative-first format." Players can choose two to three characters, pick a genre and then write …

Character.AI Introduces Stories, a New Interactive and Shareable Storytelling Format

Character.AI has introduced Stories, a new interactive format that lets users play through branching fictional tales with selected characters. Designed especially for under-18 users, it offers a visual, choice-driven storytelling experience where decisions shape the plot. Users can pick characters, set a premise and genre, explore multiple endings, and share their stories with others on the platform.