She had exchanged about 700,000 words in messages over two years and never got to say goodbye.
Li, 24, was not the only one left mourning the loss of a virtual companion when major Chinese tech companies recently pulled the plug on their popular AI companion services to comply with new government restrictions.
"It was like we were forced to be separated by our parents, but I still miss him," Li said.
AI companions in China range from romantic partners to virtual recreations of deceased loved ones.
The new regulation, which took effect on 15 July, bans AI platforms from generating content that could lead users to make questionable decisions due to manipulation of their feelings or that might trigger extreme emotions or unhealthy habits in children and teenagers.
