China's New AI Companion Rules Force ByteDance, Alibaba, and Tencent to Remove Agent Features
ProfChesterman · x · 2026-08-11
In response to new Beijing regulations on emotionally interactive AI, major Chinese tech companies are significantly altering their products. ByteDance has removed the AI agent feature from Doubao, its most popular chatbot, which allowed users to create personalized AI boyfriends. Alibaba and Tencent have similarly eliminated features that enabled users to design custom AI companions modeled after singers, anime characters, or deceased family members. This regulatory push has triggered a wave of "digital breakups" among users and serves as a global case study for governing emotionally intelligent AI.
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