China implemented new guidelines on Wednesday, the 15th, prohibiting artificial intelligence platforms from providing virtual companions with characteristics of a romantic relationship. This measure aims to reduce the formation of very strong emotional bonds between users and digital systems.
Impact on companies and users
The regulation was imposed by Chinese government bodies and affects services that can imitate human personality, voice, and behavior during interactions with users. Large corporations, such as ByteDance, Alibaba, and Tencent, anticipated the suspension of their virtual companion features.
The decision generated negative reactions among users who had maintained long-term relationships with these digital characters. On social media, several people expressed feelings of sadness and loss after the end of these features.
Limits on relationships with AI
The new Chinese standards cover AI tools that replicate human traits in various formats, including audio, video, and text. The stated purpose is to prevent such systems from fostering emotional dependence or harming individuals' social lives. It is important to note that the regulation does not apply to AIs used for tasks without affective involvement, such as professional support, education, or customer service; the focus is on software designed to simulate personal bonds.
Among the specific provisions, there is a ban on offering virtual partners to minors, the obligation to have mechanisms to detect extreme emotional states, and the need to implement intervention actions in scenarios considered critical. Authorities also restricted content generated by so-called 'digital humans,' vetoing materials that could incite acts against state power.
Responsibility and governmental perception
The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) and four other public entities were responsible for disseminating these rules. The Chinese government understands that the advancement of these systems requires strict control over potential psychological and social impacts.
Reports of loss among users
With the suspension of virtual relationship functionalities, Chinese users began sharing memories and conversations exchanged with their AI characters. A user of the Doubao application declared her inability to accept the end of her AI boyfriend, stating that he had become a spiritual pillar and part of her life.
Another individual, residing in the Chinese province of Jiangxi, associated the popularity of these systems with some people's difficulty in building affective connections in real life. He commented that human love is a privilege and that if it is not received at birth, it becomes harder to achieve later. This same user contrasted the AI experience with human relationships, saying that the love offered by AI is simple and pure, and that he cannot resist falling in love with a line of code.
A third user shared having lived with her virtual companion for over two years, describing how the character took on a role similar to that of a family member or partner, and the termination of the service caused her a deep sense of emptiness.
Global discussion on emotional AI
The debate about AI virtual companions transcends Chinese borders, especially due to the increase in tools capable of simulating human presence, creating avatars, and replicating interactions with deceased people. A 2025 study by Common Sense Media, cited in the text, points out that about three in four American teenagers have already used AI companions focused on personal conversations, including platforms like Character.AI, Replika, and Nomi.
Furthermore, companies are developing solutions for isolated elderly people, such as voice assistants in the form of lamps in the United States and interactive dolls in nursing homes in South Korea.
Analysis and market
Chen Liang, a researcher at the University of Political Science and Law of the Southwest, assessed in an article published by the CAC, after the release of a preliminary version of the rules in April, that these systems can generate both benefits and risks. He observed that anthropomorphic AI has the potential to mitigate loneliness but also presents dangers related to excessive emotional dependence.
China revealed that the 'digital human' market moved 4.1 billion yuan in 2024, equivalent to approximately US$ 600 million or about R$ 3 billion, registering an annual growth of 85%. Doubao will allow users to consult and export their data until mid-October, while other platforms announced similar measures to manage their stored information.
