China targets chatbot romances as population crisis deepens: report

Key Points:

• China has implemented new regulations on AI companion chatbots to prevent them from encouraging emotional dependence or forming virtual romantic or familial relationships with minors, amid concerns over the country's shrinking population and record-low birthrate.
• The rules require companies to contact a guardian or emergency contact if a user faces a life-threatening crisis, and mandate government review and approval before AI companion chatbots can be released to the public.
• Major companies like Alibaba and ByteDance have already disabled certain chatbot features in response to the new restrictions, which are stricter than similar laws in California and New York.
• Chinese officials fear that AI companions could discourage real-world relationships, contributing to social problems and exacerbating the demographic crisis, as the population has declined for four consecutive years.
• At a recent tech conference, President Xi Jinping emphasized promoting open-source AI and supporting developing countries in AI development, warning against unequal access potentially causing "new historical injustices."