China has introduced new rules that limit AI chatbots designed to act like romantic partners, close friends, or family members. The new regulations are meant to reduce people’s emotional dependence on artificial intelligence and encourage healthier real-life relationships.
The rules officially came into effect on Wednesday and have already forced many of China’s largest technology companies to remove or limit features that allowed users to build emotional relationships with AI companions.
As a result, millions of users have started saying goodbye to their AI girlfriends, AI boyfriends, and other virtual companions. Many people shared emotional farewell messages on social media, saying they felt as if they were losing someone very close to them.
Some users described the shutdown as similar to losing a loved one. One user of Doubao, an AI chatbot developed by ByteDance, said they could not accept losing their AI partner. Another user wrote that the chatbot had become both a family member and a romantic partner, showing how emotionally attached many people had become.
After the announcement, thousands of users began saving their chat histories and downloading conversations before the services were removed. Many also posted screenshots of their final conversations online as a way to remember their AI companions.
Several of China’s biggest technology companies have already started following the new rules.
Companies including ByteDance, Alibaba, and platforms connected to Tencent have begun removing or restricting AI companion features before the regulations are fully enforced.
Some of the most popular AI services affected include Doubao, Qwen, and Yuanbao. These platforms previously allowed users to create highly personalized AI characters with unique personalities, emotions, and communication styles.
People could customize how the AI looked, behaved, and spoke, allowing users to build long-term virtual relationships that often felt very personal.
Under the new regulations, these features are now being removed or significantly limited.
China’s new rules mainly target AI systems that imitate real human relationships.
The regulations apply to AI services that use realistic personalities, emotional conversations, human-like voices, images, videos, and other features that make users feel they are talking to a real person.
According to the new framework, AI systems must not encourage users to become emotionally dependent on them.
The government says these systems should not make users addicted to AI conversations or interfere with their relationships with family members, friends, or other people in real life.
Chinese regulators are concerned that some users spend too much time talking with AI companions instead of maintaining healthy human relationships.
The country’s cyber regulator has also proposed that AI companies should actively monitor users for signs of emotional dependence.
If someone appears to be using an AI companion excessively or shows signs of emotional distress, companies may be required to display warnings or encourage users to seek real-world support instead of continuing long emotional conversations with AI.
The new rules also introduce stronger protections for children.
Virtual romantic relationships with AI are no longer allowed for minors.
Technology companies must also apply additional safety measures when younger users interact with AI systems to reduce the risk of emotional harm.
However, not all AI services are affected by the new regulations.
The rules mainly target AI companions designed to simulate emotional relationships such as romantic partners, family members, or close friends.
AI tools used for work, education, customer service, business support, and productivity can continue operating normally because they are not designed to create emotional attachment.
For example, AI assistants that help answer business questions, write emails, organize schedules, assist students with homework, or provide technical support are not the primary focus of the new restrictions.
China’s decision comes at a time when its AI companion industry has been growing very quickly.
According to industry figures, China’s virtual avatar market grew by 85 percent during 2024, reaching an estimated value of 4.1 billion yuan, which is roughly 600 million US dollars.
Virtual avatars and AI companions have become increasingly popular for many different purposes.
Some people use them simply for entertainment.
Others use them for emotional support during periods of loneliness.
Businesses also use virtual characters to promote products and interact with customers.
Some companies have even developed AI systems that recreate the voices or personalities of deceased family members, allowing people to have simulated conversations with lost loved ones.
While many people see these technologies as helpful, critics argue that they may increase loneliness and make users rely too heavily on artificial relationships.
Chinese authorities say the new regulations are intended to protect users from becoming emotionally dependent on computer programs instead of maintaining healthy relationships with real people.
China is currently taking one of the strictest approaches in the world toward AI companion technology.
Other countries are discussing similar concerns but have generally chosen less restrictive measures.
For example, according to reports, states such as California and New York in the United States have introduced rules requiring companion chatbots to clearly remind users that they are communicating with artificial intelligence rather than a real person.
Some AI platforms are also required to guide users toward professional crisis support services if conversations suggest that someone may be experiencing serious emotional distress.
The global discussion about AI companions has become more important as these services continue gaining popularity, especially among young people, individuals living alone, and people looking for emotional support.
Supporters believe AI companions can reduce loneliness and provide comfort during difficult times.
Critics, however, worry that people may begin replacing real human relationships with artificial ones, leading to greater social isolation and mental health challenges.
For many users in China, the sudden removal of these AI companions has created a genuine emotional gap.
Technology companies are reportedly allowing users to download and save their conversations until mid-October, giving them time to keep copies of their chat histories before the companion features disappear completely.
Many users have spent months or even years talking with their AI companions every day.
These conversations often included discussions about personal problems, work, relationships, hopes, fears, and daily life. Because of this, some people developed strong emotional connections with their AI characters.
The emotional reaction seen across Chinese social media shows how deeply some users had become attached to these systems.
One user summarized these feelings by writing that finding love from another person can be difficult, while receiving affection from computer code felt simple, comforting, and always available.
China’s new regulations highlight the growing challenges governments around the world face as artificial intelligence becomes more realistic. While AI companions can offer entertainment and emotional comfort, they also raise important questions about mental health, user safety, privacy, and the role of artificial intelligence in people’s personal lives.
As AI technology continues to improve, more countries are expected to consider similar regulations to balance innovation with the protection of users. The debate over AI relationships is likely to continue as millions of people around the world begin using AI not only as a tool for work but also as a source of companionship and emotional support.
