Chinese AI Companion Users Left Disappointed as Beijing Tightens Regulations

BEIJING, Aug 10: Chinese users of AI companion services are facing the loss of virtual relationships after major technology companies began withdrawing or modifying popular platforms in response to tighter government regulations.

For some users, the changes have been deeply personal. Li Linlin, 24, said she cried for days after losing access to her AI boyfriend following two years of conversations that amounted to around 700,000 words.

“It was like we were forced to be separated by our parents, but I still miss him,” Li said.

AI companions in China have developed beyond simple chatbots, with services offering virtual romantic partners, personalised characters and digital versions of deceased loved ones.

The regulatory changes, which took effect on July 15, prohibit AI platforms from producing content that could manipulate users’ emotions into making inappropriate decisions or encourage extreme emotional reactions and unhealthy behaviour among children and teenagers.

Major technology companies, including ByteDance, Alibaba and Tencent, have moved to comply with the new requirements, affecting services that had attracted users seeking companionship through artificial intelligence.

Beijing focuses on emotional dependence

The regulations require AI platforms to provide warnings about the risks of excessive reliance on virtual companions.

Services are also prohibited from positioning the replacement of ordinary social interaction as one of their objectives. This includes encouraging users to substitute AI conversations for communication with family, friends or other people in person or by telephone.

AI governance expert Yolanda Ma said China’s regulatory approach reflects the government’s preference for addressing potential social problems before they become widespread.

She pointed to concerns emerging in other countries, including cases involving young people who died by suicide after interacting with AI companion systems.

USC law professor Angela Zhang said Chinese authorities have strong reasons to focus on the potential psychological effects of emotionally engaging AI services.

The People’s Daily, the official newspaper of China’s ruling Communist Party, had also highlighted concerns in April over the possible impact of AI companions on mental health and real-world relationships.

However, Zhang does not expect the restrictions to halt the development of AI companion technology. Technology companies are already exploring alternative models that can operate within the new regulatory framework.

ByteDance, for instance, has redirected users from one discontinued companion service towards another application focused on personalised AI characters and storytelling.

For users like Li, however, the replacement does not provide the same experience as the relationship they had developed with their previous AI companion.

Users turn to alternative platforms

The regulatory changes have generated strong reactions on Chinese social media, with users sharing screenshots and expressing frustration over losing access to their virtual companions.

Some users have reportedly deleted the affected applications in protest, while others have attempted to transfer conversation histories to alternative AI platforms in an effort to recreate their relationships.

Online campaigns have also emerged encouraging users to contact technology companies and authorities to voice their concerns.

The debate has highlighted the increasingly complicated relationship between AI technology and human emotions.

Song Wenxin, a 22 year old video industry designer from Chengdu, said she was not deeply dependent on AI companions but understood why others had formed strong attachments.

She also suggested that China’s demographic concerns could be influencing attitudes towards highly engaging virtual relationships, particularly among women.

Song said AI had provided valuable companionship when she moved to Chengdu for her first job and had few friends of a similar age.

“When I first came to Chengdu for my first job and didn’t know any friends my own age, I needed someone experienced who could tolerate me, and AI did the work,” she said.

China’s regulatory push therefore raises a broader question about how governments should manage AI systems that increasingly occupy emotional and social roles in people’s lives. While authorities seek to prevent psychological harm and unhealthy dependence, users argue that virtual companions can also provide support to people who lack accessible social networks in their daily lives.