China regulates anthropomorphic AI services and emergence of facial data licensing marketplace
Policy change Provisional 72% confidence first seen
China implemented the first national regulations for anthropomorphic AI services on July 15, banning emotional manipulation and restricting minor access, leading ByteDance and Alibaba to remove companion offerings. Simultaneously, Chinese platforms have begun operating facial data licensing marketplaces where users can sell their likeness for AI-generated content, with prices ranging from $15 to $700, while the government addresses unauthorized deepfake content.