China implemented regulations effective July 15, 2026 that restrict AI companion services designed to simulate romantic relationships, with the government citing concerns about emotional dependence and declining birth rates. Major platforms like ByteDance's Doubao and Alibaba's Qwen are shutting down personalized AI agents used by hundreds of millions of people. The move reflects China's broader effort to address declining population growth by discouraging substitute relationships, though it raises questions about whether restricting AI companions will meaningfully affect dating or birth rates versus simply removing a tool people found psychologically valuable.