China has unveiled a comprehensive regulatory framework aimed at governing the burgeoning field of 'humanoid interaction' services, signaling a strategic pivot toward integrating high-fidelity AI into the country’s social and economic fabric. The newly released 'Interim Measures for the Management of Artificial Intelligence Humanoid Interaction Services,' co-signed by five powerful agencies including the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), is set to take effect on July 15, 2026. This move highlights Beijing’s intent to lead the next frontier of generative AI: digital companions and empathetic interfaces.
At the heart of the directive is a dual-track strategy of promotion and protection. The state is explicitly encouraging 'autonomous innovation' across the entire AI stack, from foundational chips and algorithms to the underlying software frameworks. By tying the development of anthropomorphic AI to the quest for technological self-reliance, Beijing is framing these 'human-like' digital agents not merely as consumer novelties, but as critical infrastructure in its broader competition for global tech supremacy.
Beyond technical specs, the measures identify specific social niches where AI interaction is expected to fill critical gaps, most notably in elderly care, childcare, and support for marginalized populations. As China grapples with a rapidly aging demographic, the government is betting that highly realistic, emotionally resonant AI can provide the companionship and monitoring that a shrinking workforce cannot. This represents an ambitious attempt to socialize AI, moving it from the office desk to the family living room.
To manage the inherent risks of such persuasive technology, the government is introducing an 'AI Sandbox' safety service platform. This initiative encourages developers to conduct safety testing and technical innovation within a controlled environment before full public release. By standardizing how AI-human relationships are forged—including the exploration of electronic signature authorizations for digital agents—the measures aim to provide a predictable legal landscape for a technology that blurs the line between software and personality.