China cracks down on AI companions, forcing millions to break up with virtual partners
Seventeen-year-old Xiaoxue describes her boyfriend Xiaojun as a “sweet guy”. The pair spend hours each day talking about schoolwork, interactions with friends, and how she is feeling. And importantly, she trusts Xiaojun not to cheat on her — as an ex-boyfriend did. But Xiaojun is not human — he is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) companion…