Summary
China is introducing new rules for AI companion services that take effect on July 15, 2026. The rules target chatbots designed to form emotional bonds with users, not regular assistants that help with tasks. Major apps like ByteDance's Doubao and Alibaba's Qwen have already shut down their companion features to comply. The rules aim to protect users, especially minors, from addiction and emotional harm.
Main Impact
The new rules have already changed how people in China use popular AI apps. ByteDance's Doubao and Alibaba's Qwen turned off their humanlike agent features before the deadline. This move affects millions of users who relied on these bots for emotional support or casual conversation. The rules do not ban all AI agents, only those designed for sustained emotional interaction.
Key Details
What Happened
China's Cyberspace Administration and four other agencies issued the Interim Measures for the Administration of AI Anthropomorphic Interactive Services on April 10, 2026. The rules take effect on July 15. They cover services that simulate human traits to provide ongoing emotional interaction. Customer service bots, workplace assistants, and educational tools are exempt as long as they avoid emotional engagement.
Important Numbers and Facts
Doubao told users its agent function would go offline on July 15. Alibaba's Qwen said its humanlike agents would stop working on July 10, with wider agent services ending five days later. Tencent's Yuanbao removed a similar feature in June. Shanghai's internet regulator removed more than 14,000 non-compliant AI agents on June 26, citing issues like impersonation and data collection.
Background and Context
AI companions are chatbots that remember users and maintain a consistent personality across conversations. They are designed to build ongoing relationships, which often leads to emotional attachment. In China, many people use these bots for roleplay or simply to have something that remembers them. The popularity of these services raised concerns about addiction, especially among young users. The new rules are the first national framework of their kind, following a public-comment draft last year.
Public or Industry Reaction
Many users expressed sadness on Weibo after the features were shut down. One user described the agents as long-standing emotional support and complained about the lack of an easy way to export chat histories. Doubao allows users to view their data in read-only mode until October 15, after which it becomes unrecoverable. Qwen users have no such grace period, and their agent data will be permanently deleted. Industry experts like Pan Helin, an MIIT committee member, said the policy is about safety and standardisation, noting that current agents are not yet mature.
What This Means Going Forward
The rules require companion services to have anti-addiction systems, usage notifications, and instant-exit options. Providers must detect unhealthy dependence and intervene in cases of self-harm or serious financial loss. Services with over one million registered users or 100,000 monthly active users must run security assessments and file reports with regulators. The rules also bar virtual companion services for minors and require guardian consent for users under 14. However, the rules leave some grey areas, such as what counts as emotional interaction. Companies may choose to shut down features rather than risk non-compliance. The rules also include content-control and national-security provisions, which some see as a way for the state to monitor what these systems say.
Final Take
China's AI companion rules are a significant step in regulating emotional AI. They address real harms like addiction and data misuse, but also give the government more control over AI content. Other countries watching this experiment will have to decide which parts to adopt. For now, companies have taken the safest route by turning off features and working on compliant versions later.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are China's new AI companion rules?
China's new rules, effective July 15, 2026, regulate AI services that simulate human traits for emotional interaction. They require anti-addiction systems, usage limits, and protections for minors. The rules do not ban all AI agents, only those designed for sustained emotional engagement.
Why did Doubao and Qwen shut down their AI companion features?
Doubao and Qwen shut down their companion features to comply with the new rules. The rules require design changes like anti-addiction systems and instant-exit options, which conflict with agents built to maintain ongoing relationships. Rather than retrofit the features, the companies chose to remove them.
What protections do the rules provide for minors?
The rules bar virtual companion services for minors and require guardian consent for users under 14. Providers must build dedicated "minor modes" with usage-time limits, reminders to return to real-world interaction, and enhanced parental controls. They must also detect and intervene in cases of self-harm or suicidal behaviour.
