There Are 1.4 Billion Humans in China. The Government Wants You to Talk to Them
August 31, 2026 \ Edition 52
And not to AI companions. New national rules in China, which took effect July 15, prohibit companies from providing virtual partners or similar intimate relationships to minors and require providers to prevent AI systems from encouraging emotional dependence or addiction. Companies must also identify users showing signs of excessive reliance, provide warnings about prolonged use, and make clear that users are interacting with AI rather than a person.
The policy is particularly interesting in the context of China's concerns about loneliness, declining marriage and birth rates, and an aging population. Some officials and researchers worry that if AI can provide companionship, intimacy and emotional validation cheaply and constantly, it could become a substitute for relationships with other people. In July, major companies including ByteDance removed or restricted companion features, prompting some users to describe the experience as a genuine emotional loss.
The debate raises a difficult question about social connection: Is an AI companion a bridge toward human relationships, or a substitute for them? Interestingly, research released this week provides some evidence for the latter concern. A study of 1,951 participants found that personal conversations with AI increased people's subsequent preference for AI rather than human emotional support.
In a command economy such as China, regulation of AI can happen more quickly and with less friction than in the US, but we should be paying attention to what is potentially a critical step in trying to preserve human connection.
