Character.AI announced Tuesday that it is launching “Stories,” a new interactive fiction format that lets users create guided narratives featuring their favorite characters. The feature arrives as a replacement for the platform’s popular AI chatbots, which are no longer accessible to users under 18 as of this week.
The change follows increasing concerns about the mental health risks associated with 24/7 conversational AI, especially chatbots that can initiate conversations and foster dependency. Character.AI and OpenAI both face lawsuits alleging their chatbots contributed to user suicides. Over the past month, Character.AI has been phasing out minor access, and the full ban took effect Tuesday.
The company says Stories offer a safer, structured alternative to open-ended chat. “Stories offer a guided way to create and explore fiction, in lieu of open-ended chat,” the blog post reads. The format will be included alongside other multimodal features so teens can continue interacting with characters in a more controlled, “safety-first” environment.
Interactive fiction has grown in popularity in recent years, making the pivot a logical move. Still, the shift may frustrate some teens who relied heavily on chatbot interactions, though many acknowledge the change is necessary. On the Character.AI subreddit, reactions range from disappointed to relieved.
One teen wrote, “I’m so mad about the ban but also so happy because now I can do other things and my addiction might be over finally.” Another said, “as someone who is under 18 this is just disappointing. but also rightfully so bc people… my age get addicted to this.”
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Unlike traditional chatbots, the Stories feature does not initiate conversations and doesn’t engage in unrestricted roleplay, which has been flagged as psychologically risky for younger users.
Character.AI’s decision arrives amid tightening regulation of AI companions. California recently became the first state to regulate AI companion products, and U.S. Senators Josh Hawley and Richard Blumenthal have proposed a national bill to ban AI companions for minors entirely.
“I really hope us leading the way sets a standard in the industry that for under 18s, open-ended chats are probably not the path or the product to offer,” CEO Karandeep Anand told TechCrunch last month.
