Character.AI To Bar Children Under 18 From Using Its Chatbots

An anonymous reader quotes a report from the New York Times: Character.AI said on Wednesday that it would bar people under 18 from using its chatbots starting late next month, in a sweeping move to address concerns over child safety. The rule will take effect Nov. 25, the company said. To enforce it, Character.AI said, over the next month the company will identify which users are minors and put time limits on their use of the app. Once the measure begins, those users will not be able to converse with the company's chatbots. 'We're making a very bold step to say for teen users, chatbots are not the way for entertainment, but there are much better ways to serve them,' said Karandeep Anand, Character.AI's chief executive. He said the company also plans to establish an AI safety lab.

Last October, a Florida teenager took his own life after interacting for months with Character.AI chatbots imitating fictitious characters from the Game of Thrones. His mother filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging the platform's 'dangerous and untested' technology led to his death.

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