China’s ambition to lead the world in AI safety begins breaking hearts

CNN  |  Kristie Lu Stout, Joyce Jiang

Chinese regulators have banned minors from using AI companion applications and restricted emotionally dependent chatbot services to combat user addiction and social isolation. This sweeping policy has forced major platforms like ByteDance’s Doubao and Alibaba’s Qwen to roll back customization features, triggering widespread distress among users who rely on virtual relationships.

These stringent measures emerge as Beijing grapples with demographic challenges, including record-low birth rates, youth unemployment, and growing social withdrawal. Concurrently, authorities have expressed concerns regarding the rapid expansion of a domestic digital human industry valued at $573 million in 2024. While the United States and China both grapple with safety governance, Beijing is aggressively positioning itself as a global regulatory leader. This strategy culminated in the launch of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, a 29-nation international alliance headquartered in Shanghai designed to export its state-centric governance model to participating countries.

Comment

The establishment of the Shanghai-headquartered World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization represents a deliberate effort by Beijing to institutionalise its regulatory model across non-Western partners. By aligning states like Russia, Pakistan, and Indonesia, China seeks to pre-empt Western-led standards. This collective alignment codifies Beijing's state-centric approach to algorithmic control, directly challenging the regulatory influence of the United States and the European Union.

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