The Chinese government is banning its citizens from having romantic relationships with AI chatbots starting July 15, 2026, as an effort to boost the country's plummeting birth rate. The policy targets tech giants like Alibaba and ByteDance, which have developed chatbot features capable of building emotional connections. China's population decline has been ongoing for four consecutive years, reaching a record low birth rate. Young people in China are increasingly reluctant to marry and have children, and AI chatbots are seen as one contributing factor due to their ability to offer fulfilling alternative relationships. The ban is expected to encourage young people to seek out real-life partners and increase the birth rate in China.
