Ebenezer
TheEbenezer News

Tech

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

Companion bots are being regulated over worries they foster ‘emotional dependence’ and young people could stop marrying and having families

Read full story on The Guardian
Amy Hawkins in Shanghai and Yu-chen Li26 Aug 2026, 12:47 amUpdated 3h ago1 min readTechGlobal
In China, talking to AI is normal. Now the government fears it might replace human intimacy

GlobalAmy Hawkins in Shanghai and Yu-chen Li

Companion bots are being regulated over worries they foster ‘emotional dependence’ and young people could stop marrying and having families

When 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.

When 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.

This report is published with credit to The Guardian. The wire sent a summary; open the original for any extra context. Read on The Guardian

Source: The Guardian · Amy Hawkins in Shanghai and Yu-chen Li. Published 26 Aug 2026, 12:47 am.

Keep reading

Back to the desk