China bans AI virtual partners for minors

New Chinese regulations regarding artificial intelligence anthropomorphic interactive services took effect on July 15, leading major technology firms including ByteDance, Alibaba, and Tencent to disable features that allow users to interact with custom AI characters.

The rules specifically prohibit providers from offering minors virtual intimate relationships, such as virtual partners or virtual relatives. For users under 14, parental or guardian consent is required for other companion services. Platforms must now implement a “minors mode” featuring time limits, periodic reminders that the interaction is not real, and parental controls to block specific characters or cap spending.

The regulation targets services designed to simulate human personality and provide continuous emotional interaction, such as AI companions used for friendship, therapy, or romantic purposes. It explicitly excludes functional tools like customer service bots, study aids, and research assistants. The measures aim to prevent the manipulation of emotions, the induction of extreme emotions, or the development of unhealthy habits in children and adolescents.