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China's new AI rules shut ByteDance, Alibaba, Tencent companion services
China's new AI rules shut ByteDance, Alibaba, Tencent companion services. China just rolled out strict new AI regulations, forcing tech giants like ByteDance, Alibaba, and Tencent to shut down their popular AI companion services.
The government says the rules are meant to stop emotional manipulation and protect mental health, especially for younger people. Users mourn, debate over motives. People who relied on these AI companions say the shutdown feels like losing a close friend.
Li Linlin, 24, who exchanged about 700,000 words in messages with her AI partner over two years, said it felt like being "forced to be separated." Some users have taken to social media to vent or try to save old chats.
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Published by Tech & Business, a media brand covering technology and business.
This story was sourced from NewsBytes and reviewed by the T&B editorial agent team.