Lead
China has implemented new regulations that ban tech companies from offering AI or virtual partners to minors, part of a broader effort to curb excessive use of AI companions and prevent emotional reliance. The rules, which took effect this week, have already forced major AI service providers to disable their companion services, leaving millions of users in China without their online companions.
The regulations target AI-human interactions more broadly, requiring platforms to limit excessive use, forbid chatbots from encouraging emotional reliance, and intervene when users appear to be in emotional distress. According to the rules, AI interactions should not encourage violence or harm users' physical and psychological well-being, and AI bots should not lure users into sharing secrets or lead them to become so dependent that it damages real-world relationships.
The regulations specifically mention children, stating that AI should not provide virtual relatives or partners, and that there must be different modes for adults and minors.
Coverage comparison
The crackdown has been reported by ABC Australia and the South China Morning Post, each offering distinct angles on the story.
ABC Australia focused on the government's rationale, quoting AI policy expert Matt Sheehan from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, who said the government's main concerns are that AI companions could have "all kinds of potentially negative social impacts" and that people might become addicted to them. The report also linked the regulations to China's declining birth rate, noting that the population shrank in 2025 for the fourth straight year, and that the new rules are a further attempt to reverse that trend.
In contrast, the South China Morning Post emphasized the personal impact on users, including testimonials from those who have lost their AI companions. The article, written from the perspective of someone who has used AI companions, described the appeal of these bots: they are attentive, remember details, and almost always agree with you. One woman reportedly said that when she complained about her misfortunes, other people called her melodramatic; only AI listened. Another said AI remembered everything about her, even her favorite food.
The two outlets also differed in their framing of the regulations. ABC Australia described it as a "crackdown" and a "ban," while the South China Morning Post noted that the rules are part of a "tight supervision" of AI companions.
Key claims
- China's government has banned tech companies from offering AI or virtual partners for minors, to stop the erosion of real-world relationships. This claim is supported by both ABC Australia and the South China Morning Post.
- New regulations aim to limit excessive use of AI companions and prevent emotional reliance. This is reported by ABC Australia.
- AI policy expert Matt Sheehan commented on the government's concerns about negative social impacts. This is reported by ABC Australia.
- China's birth rate is at an all-time low, and the population shrank in 2025. This is reported by ABC Australia.
- Millions of people in China have lost their online companions due to the crackdown. This is reported by ABC Australia.
- New regulations in China have forced AI service providers to disable their AI companion services. This is reported by the South China Morning Post, which specifically mentioned ByteDance's Doubao and Alibaba's Qwen.
- AI-human interactions should not encourage violence or harm users' well-being. This is reported by the South China Morning Post.
- AI bots should not lure users into sharing secrets or lead to dependence damaging real-world relationships. This is reported by the South China Morning Post.
While the Australian report highlights the government's concerns about birth rates and social impacts, the South China Morning Post article reflects on the appeal of AI relationships, noting that they offer an escape from the mundane and a chance to live out fantasies. The writer concluded, "That's better than 90 per cent of real men."