Character.AI announced on Tuesday that it’s launching “ Stories ,” a new format that allows users to create interactive fiction that features their favorite characters. The feature comes as an alternative to the company’s chatbots, which are no longer accessible to users under 18 as of this week.

The change follows growing concerns about the mental health risks of AI chatbots that are available 24/7 and can initiate conversations with users. Several lawsuits have been filed against companies like OpenAI and Character.AI over their alleged role in users’ suicides. Over the past month, Character.AI has been slowly phasing out access for minors, and as of Tuesday, underage users can no longer chat with its AI characters at all.

“Stories offer a guided way to create and explore fiction,

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