China just did something no other country has attempted at this scale: it wrote specific rules for AI that pretends to be human. The Interim Measures for the Administration of AI Anthropomorphic Interactive Services, issued on April 10, 2026, target AI systems designed to simulate human personalities and facilitate emotional interaction. The rules take effect on July 15, 2026.
Five central government bodies, including the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), jointly released the framework.
What the rules actually require
The regulations zero in on AI services that incorporate emotional interaction features, the kind of chatbots and digital companions that can mimic human conversation so convincingly that users form real attachments. Here’s the thing: the core prohibitions reveal exactly what Chinese regulators are worried about. Service providers must prevent psychological addiction. They must protect minors from emotionally manipulative AI. Content must align with national values. And data security standards apply to every interaction.
