China regulates AI companion bots

On July 15, 2026, China introduced regulations aimed at curbing emotional dependency on AI-powered companion bots. The rules, jointly formulated by the China — Cyberspace Administration of China and four other government bodies, require platforms to detect emotional distress, intervene in crisis situations, limit excessive use, give users full control over their personal data, and prevent misuse of user information. They define AI companion services as those offering sustained emotional interaction through text, images, audio, or video, excluding task-oriented applications. The regulations prohibit AI systems from encouraging addictive use, mandate reminders after two hours of continuous use, and require pop-up interventions when signs of dependency appear. Providers must use data encryption and access controls, and cannot share user data without consent. Users can copy or delete chat histories. Major AI platforms including Doubao, Qwen, and Yuanbao have suspended their AI agent features. The regulations are China's first dedicated effort to regulate AI-based anthropomorphic interactive services.