Character.AI shut down open chats for teens, and now it’s trying to bring them back. The platform banned under-18-year-old users from open-ended chats after facing multiple wrongful death cases and reports of teens having explicit bot interactions. But it’s now rolling out “Stories,” a choose-your-own-adventure format where teen users can pick characters, genres, and make choices as structured narratives unfold without the risks of freeform chat. The company says Stories also won’t recycle sensitive content from old chats and plans on more “teen-friendly AI entertainment” features ahead. Safety advocates aren’t convinced though, calling the pivot “an admission that Character AI’s products have been inherently unsafe for young users from the beginning.” Many see it as damage control dressed up as innovation, and a cautionary tale for Gen Z’s deepening reliance on AI companions. (Mashable)
👀 Read more from YPulse: Is Gen Z Really Making AI Chatbots Their Friends?
