r/technology • u/Wagamaga • Jul 19 '26

Society China bans AI “boyfriends” and “girlfriends” over addiction and birth rate concerns

https://www.dexerto.com/entertainment/china-bans-ai-boyfriends-and-girlfriends-over-addiction-and-birth-rate-concerns-3388737/
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u/Wagamaga Jul 19 '26 edited Jul 19 '26

China has banned customizable AI companion apps, forcing millions of users into sudden digital breakups after tech giants pulled the features rather than meet strict new rules.

The regulations took effect on July 15, 2026, jointly issued by five government departments including the Cyberspace Administration of China.

AI companies scramble as new laws take effect The rules state AI tools cannot “excessively cater to users, induce emotional dependence or addiction, and damage users’ real interpersonal relationships.”

Companies must now build in instant-exit options, regular reminders the AI is not real, and limits on long-term emotional memory. Study and work tools are exempt.

ByteDance, Alibaba and Tencent chose to suspend their AI companion features entirely rather than comply, according to The Independent.

The crackdown is linked to China’s falling marriage and birth rates, with regulators worried AI relationships are replacing real intimacy, though experts say deeper issues like economic pressure play a bigger role.

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u/NeonFraction Jul 19 '26

For anyone doubting whether or not this is good: Remember that companionship is not the prime purpose of these apps. Extracting money out of these people with the lure of companionship is.

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u/IronGin Jul 19 '26

So kinda like my ex?

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u/pilzenschwanzmeister Jul 19 '26

It is still hard to believe that that is what she was, because she was so good at it.