China is taking a firm stance on AI companions, proposing rules that would prevent platforms from offering virtual intimacy services to anyone under 18. According to a SCMP report, the proposal could set a precedent for governments drawing boundaries around AI relationships.
What would the new rules change?
China’s internet watchdog, the Cyberspace Administration of China, would ban “virtual relatives or companions” for minors. It would also prohibit services that encourage addiction or seriously affect their health. Social networking with strangers would also be banned, except for users over 16 who rely on their own wages.
Games, social platforms, and AI services that could affect cognition for users under 16 would need minors’ mode activated. Additionally, platforms would need better systems for identifying minors, and algorithms cannot encourage emotional dependence, addiction, or excessive spending. AI services found in violation could face a fine up to 10 times the platform’s income when it exceeds 1 million yuan, or about $149,000, and authorities can confiscate it.
Why this matters for AI companies worldwide?
Users aged six to 19 made up 18% of China’s internet users, totaling 112.5 million people, at the end of 2025. Lawyer He Qianggao says regulators will examine whether services simulate family or partner relationships through character settings and emotional guidance. However, ordinary AI chats and functional role-playing would generally fall outside the rules, but dependence-fostering services could face scrutiny.
The challenge is deciding what identified minors can access, which could increase product, infrastructure, and compliance costs. The proposal comes two months after China’s first dedicated humanlike AI rules took effect in July. Those rules target systems that encourage dependence and damage real-world relationships.
The debate is already spreading beyond China, from probes into the risks posed by popular AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini to children to restrictions on AI use in schools. The concerns are not limited to regulators, as parents are increasingly worried about children becoming too dependent on AI.
These rules are still proposals, with public comments open until October 17. China is clearly treating emotional dependence on artificial intelligence as a youth safety issue. If these rules are adopted, it would set a precedent for how governments around the world regulate AI companions.
