Global AI Platform Overhauls Youth Experience Amid Safety Concerns

In a significant policy shift, the artificial intelligence platform Character.AI has officially ended its open-ended chat feature for all users under the age of 18, rolling out a new interactive format called 'Stories'. The change, which began for users in the United States on Monday, 24 November 2025, is a direct response to growing concerns from regulators, safety experts, and parents about the potential risks of unrestricted AI conversations for minors. The company announced the changes in late October 2025, framing the decision as a proactive measure to create a safer and more appropriate experience for its younger user base.

This overhaul follows a period of intense scrutiny for the company, which has faced lawsuits alleging that interactions with its AI chatbots contributed to severe harm in teenagers, including instances of suicide. Karandeep Anand, CEO of Character.AI, stated the company is taking a "bold step" to redefine entertainment for teens on the platform, suggesting that chatbots are not the ideal format for this demographic. Instead, the company is pivoting to more structured, creative outlets. The changes will eventually be rolled out to other countries in the coming months.

Introducing 'Stories': A New Interactive Format

Launched on Tuesday, 25 November 2025, the 'Stories' feature is a choose-your-own-adventure style format. It allows users to create and participate in interactive, branching narratives with their favorite AI characters. Users select characters, a genre, and a premise, and then guide the plot by making choices at various points. According to Character.AI, this new format is designed to be a "safety-first setting" that maintains the creative and imaginative spirit of the platform without the potential hazards of unguided, open-ended conversations. While freeform chat is now prohibited for minors, they will retain access to their past conversations and can still use other features like creating characters and generating images.

The Kenyan Context: Aligning with New Online Safety Mandates

While Character.AI has not released specific user data for Kenya, the platform's policy shift aligns with a broader global and local push for enhanced child online safety. Kenya, which leads Africa in ChatGPT adoption with 42.1% of internet users aged 16 and above using the tool as of July 2025, has a significant youth population actively engaging with AI technologies. This high adoption rate underscores the relevance of such safety measures for the Kenyan market.

In April 2025, the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) issued the 'Industry Guidelines for Child Online Protection and Safety', which became effective on 29 October 2025. These binding regulations require all ICT service providers, including platforms like Character.AI, to implement robust safety measures. Key mandates include deploying effective age-verification mechanisms, setting high-privacy settings by default for children, and ensuring that the design of digital services prioritizes the best interests of the child. Character.AI's introduction of age assurance tools, which combine an in-house model with third-party verification from services like Persona, directly corresponds with these new Kenyan requirements.

Broader Implications for the AI Industry

Character.AI's move is seen by industry analysts as part of a larger trend where AI companies are increasingly recognizing the need for stricter child protection measures, moving from a model of permissionless innovation to one of more regulated oversight. The decision was influenced by feedback from regulators and safety experts, as well as legal pressures. In addition to the platform changes, Character.AI announced the launch of an independent, non-profit AI Safety Lab to focus on next-generation safety for AI entertainment.

The platform, which boasts over 20 million monthly active users globally, has a significant user base between the ages of 18 and 24. The challenge for Character.AI will be to maintain engagement with its teen audience through these new, more restrictive formats. Early user reactions have been mixed, with some expressing frustration while others acknowledge the potential benefits of curbing addictive chat habits. The company plans to introduce further features, including gaming, in the coming months to continue attracting young users in a safe and creative environment.