The Cyberspace Administration of China issued the Interim Measures for the Administration of Anthropomorphic AI Interaction Services on 10 April 2026, jointly with the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, and the State Administration for Market Regulation. The Measures take effect on 15 July 2026. The release follows a December 2025 draft. The text is final.
The Measures sit alongside the Generative AI Services Provisional Administrative Measures of 2023 and the Deep Synthesis Provisions of 2022. They apply to providers of AI-driven anthropomorphic and emotionally interactive services delivered to users in mainland China. Under the Measures (unofficial English summary, pending an official translation), providers must continuously display prominent reminders that the service is AI driven. Providers serving users under 14 must obtain parental or guardian consent. Providers may not offer virtual intimate-relationship services to minors. Providers must operate anti-addiction reminders for sessions exceeding two hours and tiered intervention protocols where users show signs of self-harm or acute distress.
Operators of virtual companion apps, emotional support chatbots, AI digital character platforms, and humanoid robot interfaces must rework consent flows, age verification, session timers, and incident-response procedures before 15 July 2026. Domestic Chinese platforms carry the direct compliance load. Foreign providers serving Chinese users through joint ventures or licensed local entities face the same duties. Vendors of large language models supplying anthropomorphic features must update product design to support downstream operator compliance.
The Measures do not displace the earlier algorithmic recommendation, generative AI, and deep synthesis rules. Compliance teams must map overlap between the four regimes and the security assessment and algorithm registration regimes. Penalties cite the Cybersecurity Law, Data Security Law, and Personal Information Protection Law general penalty provisions. The Cyberspace Administration retains rule-making and enforcement powers and may issue practical compliance guidance ahead of the effective date.
Licentium advises AI service providers on China entry, cross-border AI compliance, and consumer-facing AI product design. Our partner network includes PRC-licensed counsel for filings with the Cyberspace Administration of China. Contact our team to scope your compliance program. Work we undertake includes anthropomorphic AI product audits, China data localisation assessments, parental consent workflow design, large model deep synthesis filings, and Cyberspace Administration enforcement response.
Source: Cyberspace Administration of China, 人工智能拟人化互动服务管理暂行办法 (Interim Measures for the Administration of Anthropomorphic AI Interaction Services), issued 10 April 2026, effective 15 July 2026, https://www.cac.gov.cn/2026-04/10/c_1777558395078289.htm, confirmed 21 May 2026.
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