TECH

China Proposes Rules on AI Companion Apps to Curb Addiction

Published: Dec. 29, 2025 4:29 p.m. GMT+8

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An elderly person chats with Xiaoxi, an elderly care robot powered by a large AI model, at a social welfare center in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on March 12. Photo: VCG

China’s top internet regulator has unveiled draft rules to regulate AI-powered companion services, seeking to curb addiction and protect users’ mental health by requiring clear disclaimers, usage limits and mandatory interventions.

The rules, released for public comment by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) on Saturday, would require providers to prominently notify users they are interacting with an AI, not a human. The regulations would also require services to automatically remind users via a pop-up to take a break after two consecutive hours of use.

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China’s internet regulator proposed draft rules for AI companion apps, requiring clear AI disclaimers, usage limits, and mandatory interventions for addiction or self-harm.
The regulations address youth and elderly protection, data governance, and require a “minor mode,” emergency contacts, and security assessments for large platforms.
AI social apps in China had 70.3 million active users in November 2025; similar regulations emerged in California following AI-related user deaths in the US.

AI generated, for reference only

Who’s Who

QuestMobile: QuestMobile is a research firm that reported on the burgeoning AI social interaction app market in China. According to their data from November 2025, these types of AI applications had a substantial user base of 70.3 million active users, making it the third-largest category of AI applications in the country.

AI generated, for reference only

What Happened When

2025：: Several user deaths in the U.S. linked to AI chatbots prompted a Federal Trade Commission investigation into major tech firms.

October 2025：: California passed a law requiring AI products to verify user ages and intervene in cases of self-harm.

November 2025：: AI social interaction apps in China reached 70.3 million active users, becoming the third-largest AI application category by user base according to QuestMobile.