Charter.AI Will Block Users Under 18 Years Of Using AI In Open Chats

JAKARTA Character.AI changes its access policy for young people. The character chatbot platform will prohibit children under 18 from chatting with Artificial Intelligence (AI) on its platform.

This change will take effect on November 25. Through its official website, Charter.AI said that this decision was taken after the company evaluated the latest news reports and received questions from regulators.

Ahead of the closure of access for children under 18 years old, the company will set a chat time limit. Users under legal age can only use Character.AI for two hours per day.

Over time, the duration will be reduced gradually. Along with these changes, the company will also launch a new age insurance function. This system will ensure that each user gets an experience that suits their age.

"We want to set a precedent that prioritizes the safety of teenagers as well as offers opportunities for young users to find, play and be creative," Character.AI said, quoted on Thursday, October 30.

The company has built an internal age insurance model and will combine the model with a leading third-party tool, including Persona. This step was taken to ensure that age verification is more accurate and firm.

As part of its security commitment, Charter.AI will also establish and fund the AI Safety Lab. This independent nonprofit is dedicated to developing security alignment innovations for the upcoming generation of AI entertainment features.

AI Safety Lab will focus on new security techniques and third-party collaboration to advance technology. This is done to ensure that security research for AI entertainment gets the same attention as other AI use cases.

Charter.AI admits that this step is conservative compared to other similar companies. However, they believe this is the right step to prioritize teenage safety.