China has cracked down on AI relationships. Is it ahead of the game?
Beijing has cracked down on AI chatbots that can replicate human relationships. Experts are asking if this is the right thing to do.
In early 2024, a young man in Huangshi, China, posted a message on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, saying "Farewell to this world." Within minutes, Douyin's suicide prevention team became aware of the message and alerted the police. The police intervened before the man could commit suicide, showcasing the effectiveness of Douyin's suicide prevention team.
This incident was featured in a documentary by Douyin and published in Chinese state media, highlighting the level of cooperation between Chinese tech companies and the government, as well as the extensive surveillance system in China. On July 15, 2025, China introduced the most extensive regulations in the world on human-like AI chatbots.
These regulations place strict limitations on AI that can have sustained emotional interactions with humans. The new regulation aims to protect people from manipulative and dangerous AI technology that can change human relationships. However, it raises questions about the extent to which the Chinese Communist Party is overstepping into people's personal lives to assert greater control over the population.
Written by urgent.news from BBC World's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
