Character.ai to Ban Teens from Talking to its AI Chatbots after Lawsuits

The platform Character.AI will ban users 18 and under from engaging with its virtual companions, effective in late November. This sweeping change follows months of intense legal scrutiny and growing concerns over the safety of generative AI for young people.

The chatbot company, which enables users to design characters for open-ended conversations, faced challenging questions regarding how its AI companions impact teen and general mental health. These issues include a devastating lawsuit linking a child’s suicide to the platform and proposed legislation seeking to bar minors from using AI companions altogether.

The company stated the decision was a direct response to a changing regulatory atmosphere. “We’re making these changes to our under-18 platforms in light of the evolving landscape around AI and teens,” the company wrote in its announcement. “We have seen recent news reports raising questions, and have received questions from regulators, about the content teens may encounter when chatting with AI and about how open-ended AI chat in general might affect teens, even when content controls work perfectly.”

Age Verification

As part of the broad changes scheduled to roll out by November 25, Character.AI plans to introduce an “age verification functionality.” This system will ensure “users receive the right experience for their age.”

The platform acknowledges the gravity of removing open access for younger users. “We do not take this step of removing open-ended Character chat lightly, but we do think that it’s the right thing to do given the questions that have been raised about how teens do, and should, interact with this new technology,” the company wrote in its announcement.

The case raises a critical question for the industry: Should complex AI companions, designed for open emotional interaction, ever be made accessible to users who lack the maturity to distinguish between digital attachment and genuine human connection?