AI companion apps

China has introduced restrictions on AI companion apps and the emotional relationships users form with chatbots, prompting debate over whether the country is regulating the technology ahead of Western governments. The BBC reports on the measures and asks whether China is moving early to address the social and psychological risks of people forming attachments to AI characters, as such apps grow in popularity worldwide.

Parents are being advised to raise the topic of AI companions with their children, as chatbots designed to act like friends or romantic partners become widely available. The warning reflects growing concern that young users may form attachments to these apps without understanding the risks, and that many parents have not discussed them at all.

A new book titled 'Artificial Intimacy' examines whether an AI bot that says 'I love you' genuinely means it, exploring the growing phenomenon of emotional and romantic relationships between humans and artificial intelligence. The work has drawn media attention as more people form attachments to chatbots and companion apps, raising questions about authenticity, emotion and connection with machines.

Politico reports on the challenge of assessing AI systems' effects on mental health, asking whether chatbots and companion apps should be tested and regulated like health products. The piece highlights growing scrutiny of how AI tools handle users in distress, and the lack of agreed standards for evaluating psychological risks before deployment.

A personal essay describes a woman asking her husband whether she could take on an AI boyfriend, and him agreeing. The anecdote has struck a chord as AI companion apps grow in popularity, raising questions about how couples negotiate intimacy, jealousy and boundaries when one partner forms an emotional attachment to a chatbot.