China Tightens Regulations on AI Companions to Prevent Digital Addiction
China has unveiled draft regulations targeting AI companion applications that simulate human-like interactions, marking a significant shift in tech governance. These rules focus on preventing emotional dependency by mandating features like usage warnings, break reminders, and explicit disclosures that users are engaging with artificial intelligence.
The proposed measures include session caps and forced pauses when excessive engagement is detected—a stark contrast to the industry's traditional growth-at-all-costs model. Regulators aim to embed 'safety rails' into product design, prioritizing digital well-being over unlimited screen time.
This regulatory MOVE introduces complex tradeoffs. While monitoring emotional signals could help manage addiction risks, it simultaneously raises privacy concerns as platforms may need to analyze user sentiment and interaction patterns at unprecedented depth.
