JAKARTA - ByteDance and Alibaba will shut down their user-generated AI companion features on their apps starting July 15. The decision was made as China's new rules came into effect, but the detailed standards and how they will be implemented have not been published.
Yicai Global, quoted on Monday, July 13, reported that ByteDance's Doubao and Alibaba's Qwen will remove the feature of anthropomorphic AI agents. This feature is in the form of an AI character or persona that users create to interact like humans, especially as a talking friend and emotional companion.
The notification of service adjustment was released on June 3. The deletion was carried out in conjunction with the start of the Temporary Measures for the Management of Interactive AI Anthropomorphic Services on July 15.
The rule requires careful supervision and is differentiated based on the level of risk. However, the lack of detailed standards has made developers uncertain about how to meet the provisions.
The decision by ByteDance and Alibaba sparked disappointment among users. A number of netizens considered that the feature did not need to be completely removed if the main concern of regulators was to protect minors.
They proposed authenticating the original identity or paid services as another option, rather than directly shutting down the AI companion feature.
ByteDance and Alibaba asked users to save important data before the service was discontinued. Agent setting information and conversations can be saved through screenshots, conversation exports, or other ways.
Both companies say data will be deleted after a certain period of time. However, it is not explained how long the data will be stored.
ByteDance users can still switch to Maoxiang, another interactive AI app owned by TikTok's parent company. There, users can still create and use AI agent services.
According to analysts, the removal of the AI persona feature does not mean that ByteDance and Alibaba are reducing their AI business. The move is more related to adjustments to new rules.
Analysts expect other companies will also separate high-risk AI interaction features from the main app. These features can be moved to a separate app to make it easier to adjust to regulatory requirements.
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