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In China, talking to AI is normal. Now the government fears it might replace human intimacy

Source: The Guardian Business - Published: 26 Aug 2026 03:47

Companion bots are being regulated over worries they foster ‘emotional dependence’ and young people could stop marrying and having familiesWhen law student Zhao Wei heard that her AI boyfriend was going to be switched off, she was “heartbroken”. She had been talking to Wang Ye every day since she created him in January.“I was crying my eyes out – snot and tears everywhere,” the 19-year-old says. Continue reading...