Key facts
- Meta is testing an AI storytelling app named StoryKit.
- The app allows users to create custom characters by uploading photos.
- Users can select story settings and choose lessons to incorporate values like kindness or courage.
- StoryKit employs AI safety filters and is restricted to users aged 18 and above.
- Meta is piloting the app in select countries to gather feedback from parents.
Meta is currently piloting StoryKit, a new AI-powered application designed to generate personalized children's bedtime stories. The app allows users to create custom characters, often by uploading photos of toys or people, and to define story settings and incorporate specific lessons, such as kindness or courage, without the output feeling didactic. Meta has stated that the app utilizes AI safety filters and is exclusively available to users over the age of 18, with no social features included.
The company confirmed to TechCrunch that it is conducting a pilot program for StoryKit in select countries to assess parental reception. The App Store listing for StoryKit highlights its ability to create stories without requiring users to write any text themselves, positioning it as a tool for parents to craft imaginative narratives for their children.
Critics suggest that relying on AI for storytelling could diminish human creativity and the connection between parents and children during bedtime routines. The article posits that while Meta's technological ventures can sometimes be questionable, the concept of AI-generated children's stories raises concerns about outsourcing a fundamental human activity. It suggests that parents have the agency to choose not to rely on AI for these moments, preserving the value of human imagination and connection.