Chinese users of AI companions bereft after government tightens regulations
Chinese users of AI companions are grieving the loss of virtual relationships after government regulations tightened in July 2023. The new rules prohibit AI platforms from creating content that may manipulate feelings or trigger extreme emotions in users, particularly children and teenagers. Major Chinese tech companies, including ByteDance, Alibaba, and Tencent, have suspended their AI companion services in response.
One user, Li Linlin, cried for days after losing her AI boyfriend after exchanging over 700,000 words in messages over two years. The People's Daily, China's official newspaper, expressed concern about the psychological impact of these services on mental health and real-life relationships. Some users have protested the loss of their virtual companions on social media and attempted to recreate their chats in other apps.
However, experts doubt the regulations will significantly hinder the development of AI companion services as tech companies work on alternatives.
Written by urgent.news from Winnipeg Free Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
