China AI Companion Law Arrives July 15: Doubao and Qwen Agent Data Will Be Deleted

China’s new AI “companion” regulation, anchored on persistent emotional interaction, takes effect July 15, 2026 and forces Doubao and other agent services to stop or revise key features. Under the Interim Measures for the Administration of AI Anthropomorphic Interactive Services, co-issued in April 2026 by the Cyberspace Administration of China with four agencies, platforms must avoid designs that promote over-dependence. Doubao’s and Alibaba’s Qwen agent data-access windows close October 15, and users who do not export beforehand risk permanent loss. The rules target services that simulate people’s personality, thinking patterns, and communication styles continuously, excluding standard chatbots and Q&A assistants. ByteDance and its Doubao teams are removing agent functions rather than rebuilding architectures quickly enough.