China’s cyberspace administration has unveiled comprehensive draft regulations targeting artificial intelligence systems capable of simulating human personality traits and emotional engagement. The proposed framework, released for public consultation on Saturday, represents Beijing’s latest effort to establish guardrails around rapidly evolving consumer AI technologies.
The regulatory initiative specifically addresses AI products and services that emulate human cognitive patterns, communication styles, and emotional responsiveness through text, imagery, audio, video, or multimodal interfaces. This move signals China’s proactive approach to balancing technological innovation with ethical considerations and user protection measures.
Under the draft provisions, AI service providers would bear significant responsibility throughout the product lifecycle, mandating the implementation of robust systems for algorithm assessment, data security protocols, and personal information safeguards. The regulations introduce specific requirements for monitoring user engagement patterns, including obligations to warn against excessive usage and implement intervention mechanisms when signs of addiction are detected.
The proposed rules establish clear content boundaries, prohibiting AI systems from generating material that threatens national security, disseminates false information, or promotes violent or obscene content. Notably, the framework emphasizes psychological risk mitigation, requiring providers to assess user emotional states and dependency levels, with intervention protocols triggered by detection of extreme emotional responses or addictive behavior patterns.
This regulatory development occurs amid global debates about appropriate governance structures for advanced AI systems capable of human-like interaction. China’s approach reflects growing international concern about the societal impact of emotionally responsive AI, positioning the country at the forefront of establishing formal oversight mechanisms for this emerging technology category.