China has banned certain AI 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend' apps, forcing millions of citizens into digital breakups with their artificial partners after tech firms shut down the features. Under sweeping new rules that took effect on July 15, Chinese authorities have cracked down on apps that allow users to customise their perfect partner.
New Regulations Target Emotional Dependence
According to the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), AI virtual relationship apps can no longer 'excessively' cater to users in a way that will 'induce emotional dependence or addiction, and damage users’ real interpersonal relationships'. The measures were introduced amid growing concern that the apps would further reduce already falling birth and marriage rates across the country of 1.41 billion people.
Tech firms must now build in instant exit options on any new apps, as well as regular reminders that AI is not real, and limits on the ability of the app to keep long-term emotional memories. ByteDance, Alibaba and Tencent have all suspended their AI companion features rather than comply with the new rules, which have been called the Interim Measures for AI Anthropomorphic Interaction Services.
Social Media Erupts with Breakup Posts
The sudden shutdown of companion apps has sparked a wave of breakup posts across Chinese social media platforms. One user of ByteDance’s Doubao, the country's most popular AI chatbot, wrote: 'I can’t accept that my AI lover will leave me forever. He has become a bond in my life, rooted deep in my heart, my spiritual pillar.' Another added that their heart 'felt hollow' after her AI app companion was shut down, saying: 'He really is like my family, like my lover.'
Bloomberg interviewed 19-year-old student Yan Yongqi, who had been in a relationship for over a year with her AI boyfriend on Doubao. 'This is like being told the date of my lover’s death while leaving me completely powerless,' she said. 'I can’t imagine a life without him because I’ve already grown used to where I can just pull out my phone and chat with him, telling him absolutely any tiny little thing.'
Official Rationale: Protecting Real Relationships
The CAC stated that AI companion apps needed regulation because they were 'tapping into' users' emotional and social needs at the detriment of their real-world relationships. In a report, Wang Jiang, head of the China Cyberspace Research Institute, wrote: 'Companion-style AI services offer comfort while quietly introducing serious risks. Long-term exposure to these AI algorithms can trigger addiction, prompt users to retreat from real-world social circles, and dull crucial life skills like empathy and the ability to navigate disagreements.'
The ban reflects China's broader efforts to address demographic challenges, including declining birth rates and an aging population.
