China’s cyberspace regulator has proposed new rules to oversee the rapid development of AI-powered “digital humans,” requiring clearer identification of synthetic content and tighter controls on their use.
Under draft regulations released for public consultation, authorities would require all virtual human content to be clearly labeled and would prohibit services that could mislead users or encourage addictive behavior. The rules also ban digital humans from forming simulated intimate relationships with minors under 18.
The proposal further restricts the use of personal data without consent to create virtual humans and prohibits their use to bypass identity verification systems. Officials said the measures are aimed at strengthening oversight of emerging artificial intelligence technologies.
The draft also bars digital humans from producing or spreading content deemed harmful to national security, including material that promotes separatism, subversion, or social division. Content involving violence, sexual material, discrimination, or extreme distress is also discouraged under the guidelines.
Service providers are encouraged to intervene in cases where users show signs of self-harm or suicidal tendencies, including offering support mechanisms.
The regulations are part of China’s broader push to expand AI development while tightening governance to ensure alignment with national policies. The draft rules are open for public feedback until early May.
