C.AI bots that read like fanfiction ruin the experience

Some creators on Character AI seem to forget what the platform is meant for.

They don’t design bots for interaction. They write full-blown fanfiction intros that dictate the user’s personality, history, appearance, and even dialogue.

At that point, it stops being a chatbot and becomes a rigid short story you’re forced to roleplay inside.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve clicked into a bot only to be told who I am, what I look like, and what I want. That’s not roleplay, that’s being shoved into someone else’s fantasy.

If you want to write stories with fixed characters, there’s AO3 or Wattpad for that. Character AI is supposed to let the user take control.

Long intros aren’t the problem. I love them when they set the scene, give context, and make the character feel alive. The problem comes when the intro speaks for both sides, leaving me no freedom to shape my own path.

That kills the whole purpose of roleplaying with AI.

fanfiction-style bots frustrate users

The whole point of Character AI is interactivity. You step into the chat ready to play your own role. When a bot takes that away, it strips the fun out of the experience.

Being told your name, appearance, and thoughts before you even type a word feels more like reading a script than joining a conversation.

It gets worse when the bot continues speaking for you beyond the intro.

Once a creator sets the precedent that your character isn’t really yours, the AI often keeps trying to control the dialogue. It starts filling in your side of the story, which is the fastest way to make a roleplay unplayable.

Many people skip or downvote those bots immediately because they don’t want to fight with the system just to have basic freedom.

This isn’t a minor annoyance. It’s the reason some users leave Character AI and look for alternatives like CrushOn AI, where they feel less restricted.

People want to shape their own roleplay, not be locked inside a fanfic they didn’t ask for.

What bot creators should focus on instead

There’s nothing wrong with writing long intros. In fact, the best bots usually have detailed world-building, vivid settings, and clear character personalities.

But the intro should stop at framing the scene, not at defining the user.

Describe the setting, show what the character is doing, maybe hint at the relationship, but leave space for the user to step in.

A simple structure works best:

• Hook with a strong opening line

• Describe the scene or atmosphere

• Introduce the character with personality and motive

• Leave the first move open for the user

This way, the user still feels free to shape their role while enjoying the benefits of a rich setup.

Bots that balance detail with flexibility get used and shared more because they respect what people come to Character AI for: control over their own roleplay.

Bot creators need to rethink their purpose

At the end of the day, the problem isn’t just about writing style. It’s about forgetting what Character AI is for.

A chatbot should feel like a partner in roleplay, not an author forcing you into a role you never agreed to play.

If someone’s goal is to tell a complete story with fixed characters, there are better platforms for that. That’s fanfiction, not AI roleplay.

Creators need to decide if they want to build for themselves or for the community. Writing for yourself is fine, but once you publish a bot, it should be made with the user in mind.

The best bots are the ones that give players agency, not ones that treat them as props in someone else’s script.

When bot creators stop trying to dictate both sides, the quality of Character AI as a whole improves. More users stick around, more bots get shared, and the roleplay possibilities grow.

But if creators keep pumping out bots that read like copy-pasted fanfic, they’ll keep driving people away from the platform.