Character.AI, a platform facing legal challenges regarding its impact on teen mental health, has announced the introduction of a new ‘Stories’ feature. This feature is designed to provide a more controlled and interactive experience for users under 18, offering structured choose-your-own-adventure experiences with AI characters.
The move comes as a response to lawsuits alleging that the platform’s open-ended chats have had adverse effects on teenagers. To address these concerns, Character.AI has implemented a chat ban for underage users and is working on an age assurance mechanism to direct them to the more moderated ‘Stories’ feature.
The ‘Stories’ format allows teenagers to shape the narrative by making choices that influence the storyline. Character.AI plans to enhance this feature further by incorporating AI-generated images and expanding multimodal elements in the future.
This strategic shift underscores Character.AI’s commitment to redefining user interactions on its platform, prioritizing safer and more controlled experiences for young users amidst growing scrutiny over AI’s impact on mental well-being.
Source: The Verge