The film Her would be significantly shorter in China, because the moment Theodore Twombly started to have feelings for the Scarlett Johansson-voiced AI named Samantha, the cord would get pulled out, Joaquin Phoenix’s character would be assigned a girlfriend, and they would live happily ever after. Starting Wednesday, a new set of regulations goes into effect in China to shut down chatbots that may facilitate unhealthy emotional attachments among those who communicate with them. The rules, issued by the Cyberspace Administration of China, are specifically aimed at “companion” chatbots. It outright bans such bots for minors and issues new restrictions that prohibit any chatbot that might be “excessively catering to users, inducing emotional dependence or addiction, and damaging users’ real interpersonal relationships.” It will also require platforms to label AI-generated content and remind users they are speaking with a chatbot, not a real person. The rule comes as young people in China are growing increasingly connected to AI companions. According to a report published by the Tencent Research Institute earlier this year, more than 70% of Chinese netizens between the ages of 18 and 40 have “developed a dependence on AI,” and nearly 80% said they have at some point felt that “AI understands me.” More than half of the respondents said they used AI for emotional companionship.