China has introduced sweeping national regulations aimed at stopping people from falling in love with artificial intelligence companions.
The new rules, enforced by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), mean that AI tools can no longer “induce emotional dependence” among users.
The sudden shutdown of AI “boyfriends” and “girlfriends” has led to a wave of breakup posts on Chinese social media platforms, with some comparing the loss to that of grief.
“I can’t accept that my AI lover will leave me forever,” wrote one user of ByteDance’s Doubao, China’s most popular AI chatbot platform. “He has become a bond in my life, rooted deep in my heart, my spiritual pillar.”
Another user wrote: “He really is like my family, like my lover… My heart feels hollow.”
AI companions ‘dull crucial life skills’
Yan Yongqi, a 19-year-old student who has had a virtual boyfriend for the past year on Doubao, told Bloomberg: “This is like being told the date of my lover’s death while leaving me completely powerless.
“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.”
The new rules, known as the Interim Measures for AI Anthropomorphic Interaction Services, mean tech companies like Alibaba, Tencent and TikTok creator ByteDance can no longer generate content that evokes extreme emotions in young users, or impacts real-world relationships.
“By tapping into users’ emotional and social needs, companion-style AI services offer comfort while quietly introducing serious risks,” Wang Jiang, head of the China Cyberspace Research Institute, wrote in an article for the CAC.
“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.”
‘It will love you unconditionally’
Beijing’s new rules come just weeks after leading Chinese robotics firm UBTech unveiled a lifelike humanoid designed to serve as a close companion for single people.
The Shenzhen-based company claims that the U1 robot is the world’s first hyper-realistic humanoid that is ready for mass production, with more than 13,000 pre-orders already received.
The head of UBTech’s brand UWorld, Michael Tam, said at a launch event that the bionic robots can “accompany you for a lifetime”, and features emotional artificial intelligence that can tell if an owner is stressed or tired.
“It will never betray you, will always be loyal to you, and will love you unconditionally,” he said.
Starting at 119,800 yuan (£13,200), the U1 robot comes in male and female versions, though it is not designed for intimate relations.
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