Character.ai Will Offer Interactive ‘stories’ To Kids Instead Of Open-ended Chat

Character.AI announced connected Tuesday that it’s launching “Stories,” a caller format that allows users to create interactive fabrication that features their favourite characters. The characteristic comes arsenic an replacement to nan company’s chatbots, which are nary longer accessible to users nether 18 arsenic of this week.

The alteration follows increasing concerns astir nan intelligence wellness risks of AI chatbots that are disposable 24/7 and tin initiate conversations pinch users. Several lawsuits person been revenge against companies for illustration OpenAI and Character.AI complete their alleged domiciled successful users’ suicides. Over nan past month, Character.AI has been slow phasing retired entree for minors, and arsenic of Tuesday, underage users tin nary longer chat pinch its AI characters astatine all.

“Stories connection a guided measurement to create and research fiction, successful lieu of open-ended chat,” nan institution said successful a blog post. “It will beryllium offered on pinch our different multimodal features, truthful teens tin proceed engaging pinch their favourite Characters successful a safety-first setting.”

Interactive fabrication has seen a surge successful popularity complete nan past fewer years, truthful Character.AI’s pivot makes sense. But it whitethorn not beryllium capable to satiate users who person go overly dependent connected nan chatbots — which is each nan much logic why Character.AI’s determination to limit chatbot entree was warranted.

On nan Character.AI subreddit, reactions are mixed. According to their comments, immoderate teens opportunity that while they’re disappointed, they deliberation it’s yet nan correct move.

“I’m truthful huffy astir nan prohibition but besides truthful happy because now I tin do different things and my addiction mightiness beryllium complete finally,” 1 personification who identified themselves arsenic a teen wrote.

Another said, “as personification who is nether 18 this is conscionable disappointing. but besides rightfully truthful bc group complete present my property get addicted to this.”

It remains to beryllium seen really teens will usage nan Stories feature, but nan format is little psychologically dubious than roleplaying pinch chatbots. Unlike Stories, chatbots straight interact pinch users successful open-ended conversations and tin nonstop unprompted messages moreover erstwhile users aren’t actively utilizing nan app.

Character.AI’s determination to age-gate chatbot entree comes astatine a clip erstwhile California precocious became nan first authorities to regulate AI companions. Meanwhile, Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) person introduced a nationalist bill that would prohibition AI companions for minors altogether.

“I really dream america starring nan measurement sets a modular successful nan manufacture that for nether 18s, open-ended chats are astir apt not nan way aliases nan merchandise to offer,” Character.AI CEO Karandeep Anand told TechCrunch past month.