China Takes Steps to Regulate ‘Digital Humans’ Through Strict Labelling and AI Safety Regulations

China has put forward new regulations that require labels for digital humans, prohibit misuse, and enhance governance and safety measures for AI.

China’s cyberspace regulator has unveiled draft regulations designed to enhance oversight of “digital human” technologies. These rules mandate clear disclosure, limit harmful applications, and broaden governance standards for AI-generated virtual personas.

The proposal, released on Friday by the Cyberspace Administration of China, is available for public comment until May 6 and outlines new compliance requirements for companies involved in the development or deployment of digital humans.

A key requirement stipulates that all virtual human content must feature clear “digital human” labels, designed to avoid any confusion between real and AI-generated identities.

The draft additionally aims to prevent misuse in sensitive or vulnerable situations, specifying that platforms are prohibited from providing “virtual intimate relationships” to users under 18, a measure intended to safeguard minors from exploitative interactions.

The regulation also forbids developers from utilizing personal data without consent or employing digital humans to circumvent identity verification systems, illustrating Beijing’s increasing oversight of swiftly evolving artificial intelligence technologies.

The regulations regarding content controls prohibit digital humans from participating in actions that could “endanger national security, incite subversion of state power, promote secession, or undermine national unity.”

According to the draft, service providers are also directed to block or restrict content that is “sexually suggestive, depicts horror, cruelty or incites discrimination based on ethnicity or region.”

The guidelines also urge platforms to take action when users exhibit signs of significant distress, recommending that providers implement “necessary measures” when individuals demonstrate suicidal or self-harming behaviors.

The decision follows China’s ongoing efforts to aggressively adopt AI throughout its economy, guided by a new five-year policy framework, while also enhancing regulatory oversight to ensure conformity with state priorities and “socialist values.”

An analysis published on the regulator’s website indicates that the rules aim to address governance gaps in the emerging sector and establish clear boundaries for its development.

A crucial evaluation was included stating, “The governance of digital virtual humans is no longer simply a matter of industry standards.”