- ByteDance and Alibaba will disable customized AI Agents as new regulations on human-like interactive AI services take effect on July 15.
- Doubao announced the discontinuation of its AI Agent feature starting July 15 due to product adjustments; related data will be inaccessible or unrecoverable after October 15.
- Qwen will stop human-like interactive and user-generated AI Agents on July 10, before all AI Agent services shut down on July 15.
- These platforms previously allowed users to create personalized AI Agents like assistants, tutors, role-playing characters, or companions with specific communication styles.
- The new rules apply to AI services simulating human personality, thinking, and communication aimed at maintaining long-term emotional interaction.
- Customer service chatbots, knowledge Q&A, work assistants, and educational tools are exempt if they don’t foster prolonged emotional bonding.
- Regulators warned of risks such as extremist ideologies, privacy leaks, physical/mental health impacts, and AI dependency or addiction.
- In June, Tencent removed similar features from its Yuanbao app, indicating a widening regulatory trend.
- China simultaneously issued national standards for AI Agents covering architecture, identification, identity management, and tool usage to enhance traceability.
- Some users expressed opposition due to the loss of AI companions and chat histories without convenient data export solutions.
📌 China is building a comprehensive management framework for AI Agents. The government encourages AI for productivity and business but restricts Agents capable of forming emotional relationships with users. The simultaneous removal of these features by ByteDance, Alibaba, and previously Tencent reflects a priority on safety, standardization, and manageability of the rapidly growing AI ecosystem.
