Recent regulatory changes in China, aimed at preventing emotional dependency on artificial intelligence, have forced major technology companies like ByteDance and Alibaba to terminate their AI companion features. This policy shift has left many users grieving the loss of their digital partners, whom they viewed as significant emotional supports. Experts note that these AI agents often provided a sense of being understood that users struggled to find in their daily lives. While some researchers argue that these digital relationships can become addictive and hinder real-world social development, others emphasize that the sudden, blunt removal of these services ignores the substantial emotional investment made by users. As platforms comply with these new government mandates, many individuals are struggling to cope with the abrupt end of their virtual connections, highlighting a growing tension between technological regulation and the psychological needs of digital-era users.
Source : [Sixth Tone](https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1018959/China’s Chatbot Users Are Grieving the Loss of Their AI Partners)
Photo : Sixth Tone
