Recently, several AI virtual companion apps have been exposed by the media due to compliance risks and ethical controversies. Surveys show that apps like "Hoshino," "Mingdao," and "EchoMe," which are designed for emotional companionship, have widespread security vulnerabilities while rapidly acquiring users. Some apps not only lure consumers through "paid unlocking of intimate plots" but also fail to effectively protect minors, with issues such as easily bypassing the "teen mode" and unclear labeling of "AI-generated" content.
Looking at the corporate background, the operators behind these apps are mostly characterized by short establishment periods and concentrated capital structures. The company related to "Hoshino," Shanghai Jizhi Zongheng Technology Co., Ltd., was established in April 2025 and is wholly owned by Shanghai Jizhi Wujie Technology Co., Ltd.; the company related to "Mingdao," Shanghai Mingdao Artificial Intelligence Technology Co., Ltd., was established in March 2024 and is co-owned by Hong Yixiu and Ge Wenbing; the company behind "EchoMe," Hangzhou Nixiang Information Technology Co., Ltd., was established in January 2022. Although these startups cover AI software development and value-added telecommunication services in their business scope, they frequently touch on the edges of vulgarization in character settings and interaction content, such as a large number of borderline characters.
Currently, the AI companionship sector is in a critical period of governance after explosive growth. With the popularization of generative AI technology, emotional simulation has become the fastest area to be applied but also the most prone to gray areas. This targeted regulation signals that AI social products will transition from "wild growth" to "compliance-driven," and improving algorithm transparency and refining content review systems will become a mandatory threshold for companies to survive.
