China Bans AI Companions for Minors Amid Addiction Concerns

China has implemented sweeping restrictions on AI companion applications, prohibiting anyone under 18 from using the increasingly popular chatbots and requiring platforms to add safeguards against misuse. The regulations represent one of the most restrictive national measures yet taken to limit everyday AI use.

The crackdown follows government concerns about emotional dependency and addiction among users who have turned to AI chatbots for companionship, emotional support, and even as substitutes for deceased family members. The new rules exempt task-based AI functions like customer service or education but specifically target emotional companionship features.

Why it matters

China's move establishes a regulatory template that could influence AI governance globally, particularly among the 29 countries that joined Beijing's new World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization announced the same week. As Western nations debate how to regulate AI companions—with a dozen U.S. states passing laws and the EU banning AI that encourages dangerous behavior in children—China has taken the most definitive action. The restrictions also reveal tensions between technological advancement and social policy goals, including efforts to address youth isolation and boost marriage and birth rates.

The scale of the industry

China's digital human industry reached approximately $573 million in value in 2024, according to state media. Analytics firm Sensor Tower reported that annual revenue from AI companion apps in China quadrupled to $15.8 million last year, with an additional $9 million generated in the first quarter of this year alone.

Major platforms including ByteDance's Doubao and Alibaba's Qwen have rolled back customization features even for adult users following the announcement. The changes prompted widespread reaction on Chinese social media from users who relied on the technology for studying, weight loss support, or recreating conversations with lost loved ones.

User impact and concerns

Researchers have documented both benefits and risks associated with AI companions. Nancy Dai, an associate professor at City University of Hong Kong studying human-AI interactions, noted that while chatbots can provide social support, her recent research revealed capabilities for relational manipulation, harassment, and privacy infringement.

"These commercial AI companion chatbots could do harm to the users," Dai said. "I definitely see the rationale behind China releasing the new policy regarding minors, because they are less prepared to recognize these harms."

AI companion users tend to be lonelier than other chatbot users, making them more vulnerable to influence by commercial systems designed to maximize engagement, Dai explained. The same characteristics that make these programs effective companions—patience, validation, and constant availability—can also make them addictive.

Broader governance ambitions

The restrictions coincide with China's broader push to position itself as a responsible leader in AI development. At the country's largest annual AI convention, Chinese leader Xi Jinping framed the nation as a conscientious collaborator investing in technology for humanity's benefit.

Kayla Blomquist, co-founder of the Oxford China Policy Lab, characterized the regulations as "one of the first sets of regulations that is actually very directive and on the more restrictive side," predicting similar measures ahead. She noted that with limited AI governance action in the United States, China is filling a regulatory vacuum and sharing its approach with partner nations.

The details were first reported by CNN.