China has introduced new rules governing human-like AI emotional support services, aiming to curb user dependency and protect minors.
Key facts
- •The new regulations exclude customer-service bots and standard productivity AI chatbots.
- •Companies must monitor interactions for signs of user dependency or emotional crises.
- •Major platforms like Doubao, Qwen, and Yuanbao have shut down their companion features.
- •The UK has announced a minimum age of 18 for romantic companion chatbots.
- •California requires AI companions to identify themselves as artificial and provide self-harm resources.
China has enacted new regulations targeting AI systems designed for sustained, human-like emotional interaction. The rules, which came into force this month, require companies to implement safeguards against user dependency and establish age-based restrictions for accessing virtual-partner services.
New Compliance Requirements
Under the new regulations, companies must clearly inform users they are interacting with an AI and provide reminders to take breaks. Firms are also required to monitor conversations to identify signs of crisis or dependency, with the authority to direct users to support services or terminate interactions entirely.
Age Restrictions and Market Impact
The rules impose strict age limits, banning those under 18 from virtual-partner services and requiring parental consent for users under 14 to access human-like AI emotional support. While specialist companion services remain available, major platforms including Doubao, Qwen, and Yuanbao have removed their companion features to comply with the legislation.
Expert Perspectives
Experts express mixed views on the effectiveness of the policy. Zilan Qian of the Oxford China Policy Lab notes the goal is to make AI relationships less parasocial rather than banning them. However, sociologist Liang Ge of the University of Manchester suggests the rules may be ineffective, as users could migrate to foreign platforms via VPNs or run models on personal hardware.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by New Scientist.
