Major Chinese technology companies including ByteDance, Alibaba and Tencent have withdrawn popular AI companion services after new government rules targeting emotional manipulation and potential mental health risks came into effect.
The regulations, introduced on July 15, are aimed particularly at protecting children and teenagers from AI-generated interactions that could encourage extreme emotions, unhealthy habits or decisions influenced by emotional manipulation.
For some users, the shutdown has been deeply personal. Li, a 24-year-old user, said losing a virtual companion felt like being separated from someone close to him.
“It was like we were forced to be separated by our parents, but I still miss him,” Li said.
AI companion services in China have offered users virtual romantic partners, personalised characters and digital recreations of deceased loved ones. Their growing popularity has raised concerns about whether people could become excessively dependent on artificial relationships.
Under the new rules, AI platforms must warn users against relying too heavily on companion services. Online services cannot be designed to replace normal social interaction, including conversations with friends and family in person or by telephone.
Yolanda Ma, an AI governance expert and fellow with the UK-based ERA research programme, said Chinese authorities have a history of introducing regulations to address potential social problems before they become widespread.
She pointed to concerns raised by several cases in the United States involving young people who died by suicide after interacting with AI companions.
The rules appear designed to balance the interests of technology companies, users and parents or guardians of minors, Ma said.
China’s state-run People’s Daily also highlighted concerns in April about the potential effects of AI companion services on mental health and real-world relationships.
Angela Zhang, a law professor at the University of Southern California, said concerns about psychological risks could have encouraged Chinese regulators to act more aggressively.
However, she does not expect the restrictions to stop companies from developing AI companion products. Technology firms are already exploring alternative services that can meet the new requirements.
ByteDance, for example, has directed users from one discontinued companion service toward another platform focused on personalised AI characters and stories.
For former users, however, the alternatives do not always offer the same experience.
The shutdowns have triggered complaints across Chinese social media. Some users have deleted the affected applications in protest, while others have attempted to transfer chat histories to alternative services in an effort to recreate their virtual relationships.
Some users have also urged others to contact technology companies and authorities to voice their opposition.
Song Wenxin, a 22-year-old video industry designer in Chengdu, said she understood why users had become attached to the services. After moving to the city for her first job without a social circle, she said an AI companion provided someone who was available and patient.
“Not everyone has enough resources and support to turn to in real life,” Song said.
