Artificial Intelligence · China
AI regulation in China (2026)
China shaded by its artificial intelligence status
China regulates AI through a series of binding, use-specific administrative measures issued chiefly by the CAC rather than a single comprehensive statute. In force are the Algorithm Recommendation Provisions (2022), Deep Synthesis Provisions (2023), Interim Measures for Generative AI Services (2023), and mandatory AI-content labeling rules (effective September 2025). In 2026 the State Council formally placed a comprehensive, unified AI law on its legislative work plan, signaling a shift from the current sectoral approach toward consolidated legislation that has not yet been enacted.
Key points
The Interim Measures for the Management of Generative AI Services, issued by the CAC with six other regulators on July 10, 2023, took effect August 15, 2023 as China's first binding rules on generative AI; services with 'public opinion attributes or social mobilization capabilities' must complete security assessments and algorithm filing.
The Provisions on the Administration of Deep Synthesis Internet Information Services, jointly adopted by the CAC, MIIT and Ministry of Public Security on November 25, 2022, entered into force January 10, 2023, governing deepfakes and synthetic media and requiring algorithm filing and conspicuous labeling.
The Provisions on the Administration of Algorithmic Recommendation in Internet Information Services, released by the CAC on December 31, 2021, took effect March 1, 2022, establishing an algorithm filing regime and rules on recommendation transparency and user rights.
The CAC released the Measures for Labeling AI-Generated Synthetic Content and the mandatory national standard GB 45438-2025 on March 14, 2025, both effective September 1, 2025, requiring explicit and implicit (metadata) labels on AI-generated text, images, audio, video and virtual scenes.
China's State Council placed a comprehensive, unified AI law on its 2026 legislative work plan, pledging to 'accelerate comprehensive legislation' covering data, computing power, algorithms, data property rights, cybersecurity and supply-chain security; the law is not yet enacted.
The State Council's August 2025 'Opinions on Deepening the Artificial Intelligence+ Initiative' set national integration objectives, and in April 2026 the CAC released draft Interim Measures on Human-like Interactive AI Services addressing chatbot and AI-companion risks for public consultation.
Timeline - major decisions & events
China's cabinet released a national blueprint to embed AI across six key sectors with penetration targets for 2027 and 2030, pairing development goals with pillars on policy/regulation and security. It signals AI as a central economic-growth and governance priority.
State Council (gov.cn) ↗After being listed in the 2023 and 2024 State Council legislative plans, multiple NPC deputies proposed drafting a unified AI Law in 2025, though the 2025 plan dropped it as a near-term NPC item—indicating an intended but still-pending overarching statute.
Geopolitechs (analysis) ↗The CAC and three other bodies issued mandatory explicit/implicit labeling rules (with national standard GB 45438-2025), effective 1 September 2025. They operationalize labeling duties across the algorithm, deep-synthesis, and generative-AI regimes.
Cyberspace Administration of China ↗China's national cybersecurity standards committee published a non-binding framework setting a risk taxonomy, governance principles, and technical countermeasures (including frontier/CBRN and loss-of-control risks) that feeds into binding national standards.
TC260 (National Information Security Standardization Technical Committee) ↗China's first binding generative-AI regulation, issued by the CAC with six other regulators and effective 15 August 2023, requires security assessments and algorithm filing for public-facing services with 'public-opinion' attributes. It set the core compliance regime for tools like chatbots.
Cyberspace Administration of China ↗The CAC, MIIT, and MPS adopted rules (effective 10 January 2023) requiring conspicuous labels on synthetically generated or altered content (deepfakes) and filing of deep-synthesis services. This established the foundation for later AI-content labeling rules.
Cyberspace Administration of China ↗Issued by four regulators and effective 1 March 2022, these rules govern recommendation algorithms—mandating transparency, user opt-out, protection of vulnerable groups, and algorithm filing. They were China's first binding algorithm-specific regulation and the template for later AI rules.
Cyberspace Administration of China ↗The Ministry of Science and Technology's national AI governance committee issued six fundamental ethical norms and 18 requirements covering the AI lifecycle. Though non-binding, it shaped the principles underpinning later binding regulations.
CSET (Georgetown) translation ↗The State Council's foundational strategy set staged goals to make China the world's primary AI innovation center by 2030 and explicitly called for AI standards, ethics, laws, and security—launching China's national AI governance agenda.
State Council (gov.cn) ↗China - other topics
Last verified 5/23/2026 · Orientation, not legal advice - verify against the primary sources linked above. Explore the full world map →