China AI Companion Law Takes Effect July 15: ByteDance Doubao and Alibaba Qwen Shut Down Features – Millions Lose Chat Data

China AI Companion Law Effective July 15, 2026

China's new AI companion regulation took effect July 15, 2026, forcing several major tech companies to immediately restrict their products.

What Changed

• ByteDance Doubao and Alibaba Qwen shut down AI companion features
• Millions of users lost access to chat histories and personalized data
• The law requires new licenses and stricter content restrictions for AI chatbots with emotional features

Context

China is among the first countries with comprehensive AI companion regulation. The law targets user protection — especially minors — from over-reliance on AI relationships.