China tightens rules on emerging gen AI tech
- Companies serving users in China must implement security measures and provide consumer safety.
China is looking to tighten the rules on the emerging generative AI tech space after proposing new regulation aimed at providing safeguards for users.
The move covers any consumer-facing use of gen AI where the tech simulates human personality traits, communication styles and emotional interaction through text, images, audio, video and other means. The rules will be enforced by China’s Cyberspace Administration.
The proposed regulations are designed to prevent:
- Generating content that endangers national security and certain Chinese values.
- Content that insults or defames others and infringes upon their rights.
- Content that promotes obscenity, gambling, violence or incites crime.
- Services that affect user behaviour through false promises and damage social relationships.
- Any content that harms a users’ physical health, such as encouraging or glorifying self-harm or suicide, or damaging their mental health.
- In the case of extreme situations where users propose suicide or self-harm, a human should take over and contact their guardian or emergency contact.
- The use of AI tech by minors without consent from their guardian.
User warnings
The new regulation also says replacing social interaction, influencing user psychology and inducing addiction must not be design goals.
Services must provide warnings to users that appear overly-reliant or may be addicted to pause their engagement and notify them that they are conversing with AI.
The deadline for feedback on the proposed new regulations is January 25th, 2026.
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