China’s government is moving to rein in some of the unintended consequences of its aggressive promotion of artificial intelligence (A.I.), as increasing dependence on the technology raises concerns about social stability and the erosion of human judgment. Authorities have introduced new regulations targeting the use and misuse of A.I. amid growing public unease about its widespread impact.

The state’s push to integrate A.I. across various sectors has sparked cautionary reports of problematic outcomes. These range from a farmer in Hunan province who lost roughly $22,000 worth of crops after following flawed A.I.-generated pesticide advice, to children becoming overly attached to chatbots, sometimes to the detriment of real-world social interactions. Such incidents highlight risks linked to the technology’s rapid adoption without sufficient understanding of its limitations.

Officials and analysts point to a balancing act by the Communist Party, which is eager to leverage A.I. for economic and technological advancement but wary of the disruption it could pose to social cohesion. “The more they develop the technology, the more there’s going to be social challenges that they have to deal with,” noted Scott Singer, a senior analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He added that the government is particularly concerned about A.I.’s effects on interpersonal relationships and employment, where automation threatens to displace workers.

Among the technologies raising alarm are virtual companion applications, which saw a surge in popularity offering users simulated romantic partners, personal tutors, and avatars of family members. These applications became especially controversial amid worries that they might substitute for genuine human bonds, a pressing issue given China’s declining birthrate and demographic challenges.

A government survey conducted by the China Youth and Children Research Center found that over 20 percent of more than 8,500 minors surveyed expressed a preference for interacting exclusively with A.I., rather than real people. This has prompted Beijing to impose limits, including a July regulation mandating that platforms intervene when users show signs of unhealthy reliance or self-harm tendencies, and banning virtual romantic relationships between chatbots and minors. As a result, ByteDance disabled the feature on its Doubao app that allowed users to create personalized A.I. companions.

Parents like Vivian Lyu of Hangzhou have witnessed firsthand the effects of such technology on children. Lyu’s 5-year-old daughter developed a dependency on Doubao’s chatbot, preferring it over traditional play and social activities. Though the feature enabling personalized companions was removed, Lyu still restricts her daughter’s overall chatbot usage to an hour daily, hoping to foster a healthy perspective on A.I. as a tool rather than a substitute for human connection.

Beyond social concerns, inadequate public understanding of A.I.’s capabilities and risks has led to practical problems. In recent months, Chinese media have reported cases of people harmed by blind trust in A.I. guidance, such as a hiker stranded due to faulty navigation and a child hospitalized after eating poisonous mushrooms misidentified by an algorithm.

The government has called for greater education to improve citizens’ critical thinking about A.I. recommendations, especially in sectors like agriculture where improper use can lead to significant losses. People’s Daily, the party’s official newspaper, emphasized the importance of relying on authoritative data sources and empowering farmers to transition from passive technology users to informed decision-makers.

Meanwhile, A.I.-generated content dominates parts of China’s entertainment industry, particularly in short-form micro dramas, which accounted for over 90 percent of new releases in the first eight months of the year. These productions require minimal resources but have faced criticism for poor quality and displacing human talent. Some cultural commentators, including former Global Times editor Hu Xijin, have publicly pledged to boycott entirely A.I.-generated dramas, describing them as low-value entertainment.

China’s experience illustrates the complexities of integrating advanced technologies like A.I. into society. While the government remains committed to fostering innovation, it is increasingly focused on managing the social and economic challenges that arise alongside rapid technological change.