Lower thirds:

00:02 Report by / Jan Broomby
00:10 Mia Yu
00:53 Mia Yu
01:57 Wang Huiyao / Center for China and Globalization

Script:

00:02
It’s date night for Mia Yu.

A romantic affair… 

Roses, prepared carefully, are laid out for her boyfriend.

00:08
+++ SOT Mia Yu +++
"I'm preparing a surprise because today is my anniversary!"

00:17
They may look cute together, but this relationship is unlike many others…

That’s because her 'boyfriend' is a video game character.

Or, in this case, an actress paid to dress up as the virtual lover.

00:31
+++ SOT Mia Yu +++
"When I'm not busy, I usually log into the game every day. I feel emotionally connected to this character."

00:39
Mia is among a new generation of Chinese opting for a digital relationship…

It’s a rising trend, as popular video games like this one, called Love and Deepspace, take off.

00:51
+++ SOT Mia Yu +++
"The experience is amazing. It genuinely felt like the character from my phone and tablet had come to life in the real world... I’ve spent roughly 20,000 to 30,000 RMB playing the whole game, including commissions and dating events."

01:09
The game has made more than $825 million USD… It’s a lucrative business.

So much so, that China’s AI companies also wanted a slice…

In 2024, China’s digital-human industry was worth more than $600 billion USD.

AI chatbots mimicking friendships, dead relatives, and even relationships have exploded across China.

01:33
But for many, their love story ends in a tragedy:

Authorities in China are now forcing companies to stop offering AI companionship services. 

01:44
They say AI tools shouldn’t induce emotional dependence, or damage users’ interpersonal relationships.

China is believed to be the first government to make the move. And it could now be followed by other countries… 
 
01:55
+++ SOT Wang Huiyao, Center for China and Globalization +++
"AI could be like pandora’s box. It could be opened and then we all lost control… We need a good regulation, to govern this AI development. It’s an open frontier. Nobody has done that before."

02:11
Beijing’s new rules also come as China faces rising demographic issues. 

02:15
+++ SOT Wang Huiyao, Center for China and Globalization +++
"High-end robots, AI, all those things are growing. I think where the data doesn’t look very well is the declining population."

02:24
In 2025 China’s population shrunk for the fourth year in a row.

Economists say the ageing population is putting a strain on pensions and could hit economic growth. 

New rules could therefore also encourage young Chinese to find love in person, rather than on their screens.

Back at the date, Mia and her partner exchange love letters.

02:47
She tells us, you shouldn’t bring your expectations of a videogame into your actual dating life.

Her digital romance wouldn’t stop her from finding a 'real' boyfriend, she says.

She’s just waiting until she finds the right one.

END