Chinese AI platforms to remove persona chatbots

 Alibaba Group and ByteDance will take offline persona-based chatbot features on their popular AI assistants on July 15, reports Caixin. The move coincides with the enforcement of China’s new rules governing human-like AI services.

On Saturday, Alibaba’s Qianwen and ByteDance’s Doubao notified users that they will discontinue services allowing them to build and chat with customizable AI characters. The removed functions are distinct from autonomous AI agents designed to carry out multi-step tasks such as shopping, booking or workflow automation. Instead, they refer to persona-driven chatbots built for role-playing, language learning and scenario-based writing—features that predate the mainstream rise of agentic AI products in 2025.

The measures come amid growing concerns over AI companionship tools. One expert involved in drafting ethical standards for AI applications warned that such systems risk making users more socially isolated by weakening their ability to interact with people in real life.