ByteDance and Alibaba Remove AI Companion Features Amid China's Tighter Rules

Regulation
โดย GuruFocus·Read original
Summary · why it matters

ByteDance and Alibaba are removing customizable persona features from their AI chatbots as Chinese authorities tighten rules on humanlike AI companions. ByteDance is shutting down the feature on Doubao, China's most popular AI chatbot, while Alibaba disables similar functionality and Tencent removed comparable features from Yuanbao last month. The Cyberspace Administration of China's new framework prohibits content that may trigger extreme emotions in minors or weaken real-world relationships, and requires clear labeling of AI-generated content. More than eight million AI agents had been created on Doubao as of 2024, and nearly 150 million users were on Minimax Group's Xingye role-playing service as of last September. Zhou Hongyi, founder of 360 Security Technology, suggested pausing companion agents may be a strategic response to high-risk, low-return products, as ByteDance recently introduced Doubao subscription plans costing up to 500 yuan per month for coding and productivity tools.

Impact on stocks 5

Artificial Intelligence▼ · 4 stocks
Tencent Holdings Ltd
0700
▼ NegativeRegulationrelevance

Tencent removed similar features from Yuanbao last month due to new rules.

Others▲ · 1 stocks

Theme Impact 1

Off-coverage companies 1

ByteDancePrivate▼ Negative
Regulationrelevance

ByteDance is shutting down the customizable persona feature on Doubao due to new rules.

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