China Releases Draft Regulations to Strengthen Oversight of Human-Like AI Systems

China’s top cyber regulator has released draft rules requiring stricter oversight of artificial intelligence services that mimic human personality and interaction, aiming to protect public safety, ethical standards, and user wellbeing as AI technologies rapidly expand across social media, customer support, and content creation platforms. The draft — open for public feedback — proposes that AI providers must implement safeguards against psychological harm, addiction, misinformation, and content threats to national security, while mandating stronger data protection, algorithm transparency, and lifespan accountability for AI products deployed in the mass market. Regulators are also introducing provisions that would restrict AI generation of violent or obscene content and require proactive monitoring of emotional dependency risks, reflecting Beijing’s broader effort to balance innovation with ethical governance in its rapidly growing digital economy.