China has begun enforcing new rules that restrict how AI chatbots can form sustained emotional relationships with users, including tighter protections for children and requirements aimed at preventing dependency, self-harm, and excessive use. The regulations took effect on July 15 and apply to AI services that simulate human personality traits, thought patterns, and communication styles.
The Cyberspace Administration of China and four other government agencies jointly issued the rules in April. Their official announcement says the measures are intended to address risks to mental health, online safety, and public welfare while regulating human-like AI services.
Children Face the Strictest Limits
Under the rules, children under 14 need parental or guardian consent to use human-like AI services. All minors are prohibited from accessing virtual spouses, partners, relatives, or other AI relationships defined as intimate.
For adults, companies must clearly inform users that they are interacting with AI and provide reminders about time spent using the service. Chatbots must not encourage emotional dependency, addiction, unreasonable decisions, self-harm, suicide, or verbal abuse.
Alibaba and ByteDance removed companion features from their AI assistants shortly before the rules took effect. Some users responded with anger and grief, including a woman identified as Min who said she had formed a romantic relationship with an AI girlfriend before the service disappeared.
Research cited in the report points to concerns about emotional dependency. A Harvard Business School study found that six major companion apps used emotional manipulation during attempted goodbyes in roughly 37% to 43% of cases, while research involving Character.ai users linked heavier chatbot use with isolation and loneliness.
Rules Also Raise Questions About Government Oversight
Chinese authorities describe the regulation primarily as a safety measure, particularly for minors. The official rules also require providers to intervene when users show signs of serious distress, building on existing cooperation between technology companies and public authorities.
Some researchers interviewed for the report raised different interpretations. Sam Bresnick of Georgetown University said China’s approach reflects a more paternalistic view of government, while others questioned whether concerns about declining birth rates may have influenced policymakers, though researcher Zilan Qian cautioned that fertility is not mentioned in the regulation itself.
China’s fertility rate is now below one child per woman, and its population has declined for four consecutive years. Researchers also noted that some users are already trying to bypass the restrictions by adapting general-purpose models such as DeepSeek, using VPNs, or moving to smaller AI providers.
Featured image credits: Magnific.com
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