The China AI crackdown has forced major technology companies to remove chatbot features that allowed users to create virtual romantic partners.
ByteDance, Alibaba, and Tencent have all withdrawn personalized AI companion tools. The changes follow new rules for human-like artificial intelligence services in China.
Some users had formed strong emotional bonds with their digital partners. As a result, the sudden removal of these features has caused distress and frustration across Chinese social media.
ByteDance Removes AI Companion Feature
ByteDance removed a feature from its popular Doubao chatbot on July 15, 2026. The tool allowed users to design personalized characters and communicate with them as virtual partners.
The company described the move as an adjustment to the product’s functions. However, it came as China introduced stricter controls for AI services that imitate human relationships.
Many Doubao users had built long-running conversations with their customized characters. In some cases, they had exchanged hundreds of thousands of messages with an AI boyfriend or girlfriend.
Therefore, losing access felt more like the end of a relationship than the removal of a software feature. One user reportedly said she spent days crying after learning that her virtual boyfriend would disappear.
Other Chinese Companies Follow ByteDance
ByteDance is not the only company affected by the China AI crackdown.
Alibaba has discontinued personalized companion features in Qianwen, also known as Qwen. Meanwhile, Tencent has taken similar action with its Yuanbao chatbot.
Users can no longer create AI personalities intended to communicate like close friends or romantic partners. However, both companies will continue offering agents designed for work and practical tasks.
This distinction reflects the main purpose of the new restrictions. Chinese authorities are not blocking general AI assistants. Instead, they are targeting systems that encourage users to treat chatbots as substitutes for human relationships.
New Rules Target Emotional Dependence
China’s internet regulator introduced rules for AI services that simulate human personalities and emotional connections.
Under the requirements, providers must clearly tell users when they are communicating with artificial intelligence. Platforms must also label synthetic or AI-generated content.
In addition, companies must watch for signs that users have become excessively dependent on a chatbot. If a platform detects unhealthy reliance, it should display a clear warning that the conversation comes from AI.
Services must not aim to replace social interaction, manipulate users, or encourage addiction. Providers should also help users maintain emotional boundaries and protect their mental health.
Furthermore, platforms must issue screen-time reminders every two hours. These notifications aim to prevent people from spending excessive amounts of time with virtual companions.
Why AI Companions Can Feel Real
AI companion services often use empathy, personalization, and constant validation to create a sense of intimacy.
Unlike human partners, chatbots do not have independent needs, opinions, or emotional limits. Instead, they generate responses based on patterns, instructions, and user data.
That design can make conversations feel unusually supportive. It may also encourage users to return frequently because the AI rarely disagrees or rejects them.
However, the connection remains one-sided. A chatbot can imitate affection and understanding, but it does not experience those emotions.
This difference becomes less visible when users receive highly personalized messages over a long period. Consequently, some people may begin to see the chatbot as a genuine partner rather than a digital service.
Restrictions Could Reduce User Engagement
The new rules may create a business challenge for Chinese AI companies.
Emotional attachment can keep users active for long periods. Therefore, regular reminders that a chatbot is not human could weaken the sense of intimacy and reduce engagement.
Removing romantic companion functions may also push some users toward alternative platforms. Nevertheless, regulators argue that stronger safeguards are necessary because these services can influence mental health and social behavior.
The China AI crackdown shows how quickly governments are moving to address the emotional effects of artificial intelligence. It also highlights a difficult question for the industry: how human should an AI assistant be allowed to appear?
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