ByteDance's Doubao, Alibaba's Tongyi Qianwen, Tencent's Yuanbao and other platforms have announced they will gradually shut down their user-customized AI persona features, in response to the "Interim Measures for the Management of Anthropomorphic Interactive Services" (hereinafter referred to as the "Measures") jointly released by China's Cyberspace Administration, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, and the State Administration for Market Regulation. The regulation will officially take effect on July 15, 2026.
Doubao to Close AI Persona Settings on July 15, Tongyi Qianwen to Discontinue on July 10
According to official app notifications from the platforms, ByteDance's Doubao will shut down user-customized AI persona features (including virtual boyfriends, virtual girlfriends, digital psychologists, and pop idol simulations) on July 15, 2026, and redirect users to a separate companion app. Alibaba's Tongyi Qianwen will discontinue its human-like features and user-created agents earlier on July 10, with broader agent services following five days later (July 15). According to local media reports, major platforms such as Tencent's Yuanbao have also issued similar discontinuation notices.
Definition, Exemption Scope, and Compliance Thresholds of the Measures: Monthly Active Users Exceeding 100,000 Must Complete 8 Safety Assessments and File for Record
According to the Measures, the definition, exemption scope, and compliance thresholds for "anthropomorphic interactive services" are as follows:
Definition: Services that use AI technology to simulate the personality traits, thought patterns, and communication styles of natural persons for continuous emotional interaction.
Exemption Scope: Functional AI such as customer service bots, knowledge Q&A, office assistants, and educational and research tools are not subject to these regulations.
Compliance Thresholds: Platforms that launch anthropomorphic features and meet any of the following conditions must comply: (1) More than 1 million registered users; (2) More than 100,000 monthly active users.
Compliance Requirements: Must complete safety assessments covering 8 aspects including training data processing and minor protection, and file for record with provincial cyberspace authorities.
Explicit Prohibitions: Operators are prohibited from providing virtual relatives, virtual partners, or other virtual intimate relationship services to minors.
Timeline of the Five-Department Joint Measures: Reviewed in February, Published in April, Effective July 15
According to reports, the timeline for the formulation and implementation of the "Interim Measures for the Management of Anthropomorphic Interactive Services" is as follows: On February 2, 2026, the Measures were reviewed and approved at a meeting of the Cyberspace Administration of China; in April 2026, the Measures were first made public; on July 15, 2026, the Measures officially take effect. The Measures were jointly issued by five departments: the Cyberspace Administration of China, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, and the State Administration for Market Regulation.
Shanghai Cyberspace Administration Removed Over 14,000 Non-Compliant AI Agents on June 26
According to reports, on June 26, 2026, the Shanghai Cyberspace Administration removed more than 14,000 non-compliant AI agents at once, citing reasons including impersonating official institutions, vulgar role-playing, and unauthorized collection of personal data. The enforcement action by the Shanghai Cyberspace Administration highlights the popularity of "anthropomorphic" AI products in the Chinese market and the scale of existing compliance issues ahead of the formal implementation of the regulation.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Doubao close its AI persona setting feature?
According to the official app notification of ByteDance's Doubao, the user-customized AI persona feature will be closed on July 15, 2026, the same day the "Interim Measures for the Management of Anthropomorphic Interactive Services" officially take effect; users will be redirected to another independent companion app.
What are the core provisions of the "Interim Measures for the Management of Anthropomorphic Interactive Services"?
According to the Measures, operators are prohibited from providing virtual partners and virtual intimate relationship services to minors; platforms that launch anthropomorphic features and have more than 1 million users or more than 100,000 monthly active users must complete safety assessments covering 8 aspects and file for record with provincial cyberspace authorities; functional AI such as customer service, Q&A, and office assistants are not subject to these regulations.
What types of AI functions are not subject to this regulation?
According to the Measures, functional AI that focuses on "task completion," such as customer service bots, knowledge Q&A, office assistants, educational tools, and research tools, are not within the definition of "anthropomorphic interactive services" and are not subject to these Measures.
