(The Economist) – They are having too much impact on young people’s lives

Chinese tech firms are stripping human-like personas from their chatbots in order to comply with new government rules aimed at reducing “emotional dependence” on AI. The regulations, which took effect on July 15th, are the first of their kind to be implemented on a national scale. Under them, providing virtual “companion services” for minors will be banned outright. Companies can still offer such services to adults, but they will need to prevent users becoming infatuated and harming their real-life relationships. Displaying pornography is a no-no. Providers must also regularly remind users that they are talking to AI, not a human, and tell them to take breaks. (Read More)