PALO ALTO — Character AI announced a new feature for kids called "Stories." It replaces the open chat tool for minors. The app reads interactive books to children so parents do not have to.

Parents everywhere are celebrating the news. They call it a huge win for "home efficiency." The company says this fixes a major problem for busy adults. "We saw that parents slow down the bedtime process," said Sarah Jenkins, VP of Family Engagement. "Reading a book takes six minutes. That is time you could spend answering work emails."

The system uses AI to create endless stories. It keeps kids busy for hours. This allows parents to focus on their "core jobs." "I used to lose 45 minutes a night to story time," said Marcus Chen, a father of two. "Now I just hand over the tablet. My evening free time has gone up 300%."

The company says the AI can also handle other tasks. It can answer "why" questions and give emotional support. "We are building a total parenting tool," explained Michael O’Brien, Head of User Retention. "Why should a human have to explain why the sky is blue? Our AI does it without sighing."

At press time, the company announced a premium tier. It includes a voice that tells your kids to clean their room.

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