Meta is piloting an AI storytelling app called StoryKit that generates children's bedtime stories with custom characters, settings, lessons, and music. The App Store listing assures parents, "You don't need to write a single word." Meta confirmed to TechCrunch that the app is being tested in select countries, with AI safety filters, no social features, and an age restriction of 18+.
How StoryKit works
To create a story, users first select a character by snapping a photo of a toy or person to "bring them to life." Then they describe the story world and choose a lesson, such as kindness or courage, to weave in values without feeling like a lecture. Meta described StoryKit as a creative storytelling app for personalized, imaginative storybooks.
Concerns about creativity
While some parents may find the app convenient, critics argue it outsources a fundamental human activity—imagination—to AI. Storytelling is an ancient tradition, and even busy parents have historically managed bedtime without AI. The app raises questions about whether outsourcing these moments of connection to AI-generated scripts is desirable, especially given Meta's track record of controversial products like Instagram deepfake generators.
The moral, some suggest, is that society can choose not to raise children on stories written by large language models. Meta's vision may be bleak, but individuals have the power to reject it.