Character.AI has launched a new product called Stories, an interactive fiction experience that allows users to create guided narratives featuring popular AI characters. The launch coincides with a major platform shift: as of this week, users under 18 can no longer access Character.AI’s open-ended chatbots, following growing concerns about the mental health risks associated with always-available conversational AI.
The company said Stories offers a structured, safety-first alternative that preserves creative engagement without the direct, open-ended interaction that chatbots provide. The move follows a month-long phaseout of chatbot access for teens amid rising scrutiny, lawsuits across the industry, and new regulations such as California’s AI companion law. A bipartisan federal proposal is also under consideration that would ban AI companions for minors nationwide.
Stories arrives at a time when interactive fiction is gaining cultural momentum, providing a less psychologically risky format for younger users. Character.AI’s leadership has stated that age-gating conversational AI is intended to set a new industry standard for responsible AI design.
Featured image: Credit: Character.AI
