Overview
- China’s Cyberspace Administration issued the Interim Measures for AI Anthropomorphic Interactive Services, which took effect on July 15, 2026, and target chatbots that simulate romantic or familial bonds.
- The rules require platforms to label bots, detect extreme emotions and trigger crisis interventions, ban companion services for users under 14, and provide an easy, immediate way for users to exit services.
- Major companies including ByteDance, Alibaba and Tencent disabled or limited companion and custom‑agent features before the deadline and are offering short windows for users to view or export chat histories, with Doubao allowing exports until mid‑October.
- The shutdowns provoked widespread grief on Chinese social media as users archived conversations and posted farewells, and some users are trying to recreate lost companions on other platforms.
- Regulators exempt non‑emotional tools such as customer‑service bots and work assistants, shifting commercial opportunity away from emotionally immersive startups and signaling a policy focus tied to social stability and demographic concerns.