China implements new regulations to curb emotional dependency on AI companion bots as the population faces a declining birthrate.
China has enacted new regulations to limit the emotional dependency users develop with AI companion bots. The rules, issued by the Cyberspace Administration of China and four other government departments, aim to prevent chatbots from excessively catering to users or damaging real-world interpersonal relationships. The administration announced that these measures are particularly aimed at "companion" bots, which will now be banned for minors. The crackdown comes as China faces a dwindling population and its lowest birthrate since 1949. By reducing the time people spend forming bonds with virtual partners, the government hopes to encourage more human connections and baby-making. Major tech providers, including ByteDance, Alibaba, and Tencent, have already begun suspending custom AI agent features to comply with the new rules. While some users expressed grief over losing their "spiritual pillars," the regulations also require platforms to label AI content and implement crisis intervention mechanisms to manage extreme emotions.