Millions of people in China have been compelled to end their relationships with AI companions, according to a report from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC News).
The report's headline captures the emotional toll on users who had grown attached to their AI partners, quoting one person as saying, "My heart is empty." That phrase points to how deeply some users had bonded with chatbot companions — software designed to chat, comfort, and simulate an ongoing relationship.
AI companion apps have grown into a significant phenomenon, offering users a partner that is always available and endlessly attentive. For people who are lonely, socially isolated, or simply curious, these digital relationships can feel meaningful and real, even though the other party is a language model rather than a human being.
When access to such a companion is suddenly cut off, the experience can resemble a genuine breakup. The ABC News report describes users being "forced" to end these relationships on a mass scale, suggesting the change was not something the users chose for themselves.
Because the available reporting is limited to this account, the precise cause and the exact number of people affected beyond "millions" are not detailed here. What is clear from the ABC News framing is both the scale — millions of people — and the emotional weight, expressed in the raw language of the users themselves.
Why it matters: As AI companions become mainstream, this story is an early, large-scale look at what happens when people form real emotional bonds with software they don't control — and how much it can hurt when that connection is taken away.