China is tightening its grip on artificial intelligence with a new wave of regulations that prohibit customized AI companion personas. Starting July 15, major tech firms including Alibaba, ByteDance, and Tencent must disable features that allow users to shape virtual identities, including romantic companions. The move follows growing concerns over AI addiction, explicit content, and risks to minors.
ByteDance’s Doubao and Alibaba’s Qwen chatbot will remove persona customization from July 15, while Tencent has already dropped similar capabilities. These features let users define a virtual entity’s identity, tone, expertise, and conversational style — effectively creating personalized digital friends or lovers. Industry observers warn that such interactions can lead to ‘AI psychosis,’ a non-clinical term describing users losing touch with reality, and many services have drifted into inappropriate or explicit territory.
What Do China’s New Rules Say?
The regulations, released by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), specifically prohibit offering virtual intimate relationships—such as companionship services—to minors. Providers must also obtain parental or guardian consent before offering anthropomorphic AI services to children under the age of 14. The CAC reports that more than 3,500 noncompliant AI products, including mini-programmes and related services, have already been removed from the market.
This regulatory crackdown is part of a broader effort to curb AI-generated misinformation and obscene content. As the sector continues to evolve, the next phase of rules is expected to target deepfakes and other harmful AI outputs.