The Chinese government has issued new rules prohibiting citizens from forming romantic relationships with AI chatbots starting July 15, 2026. This policy is aimed at addressing the issue of China's declining birth rate, which has reached record lows. The trend of using AI chatbots as friends or even romantic partners has become increasingly popular among young people in China and is considered to be contributing to their decreased interest in marriage and having children. The rules force large technology companies such as Alibaba and ByteDance to disable chatbot features that allow for the formation of emotional bonds. The policy has sparked controversy because many AI chatbot users feel a sense of loss from being disconnected from their virtual characters.
