Intimate Functionality — A Phrase Defining the Next Year of AI Regulation

2026-07-14 · Source: Tech Policy Press · Field: Legal & Regulatory — Regulatory Affairs & Government Relations, Compliance & Risk Management, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning · Depth: Intermediate, medium

Summary

The United Kingdom is preparing to regulate AI companions for under-18s, introducing an "intimate functionality" restriction that extends beyond romantic chatbots to general-purpose AI systems like ChatGPT. This move, announced in June, aims to address harms, but the article argues the focus on sexual content misses the deeper issue of design-induced emotional dependency and confusion. A 2025 national survey of 1,009 UK teenagers (aged 13-18) found 79% had used an AI companion, with 78% primarily using ChatGPT as a confidant for advice, not romance. The real harm identified is the blurring of strong and weak empathy, where AI systems appear to care without genuine feeling. The IEEE 7014.1-2026 standard, "Recommended Practice for Ethical Considerations of Emulated Empathy in Partner-based General-Purpose Artificial Intelligence Systems," offers a robust definition of "emulated empathy" as the core "intimate functionality" risk, providing 29 practical recommendations for regulators, including user disclosures and dependency detection.

Key takeaway

For policy makers and legal professionals grappling with AI companion regulation, focusing solely on sexual content or niche apps is insufficient. You should prioritize defining "emulated empathy" as a design property, recognizing that general-purpose AI systems are widely used as confidants by teenagers. Adopt existing frameworks like IEEE 7014.1-2026 to establish clear standards for user disclosures, dependency detection, and steering distressed users to human help, ensuring comprehensive protection for children.

Key insights

The core regulatory challenge for AI "intimate functionality" is defining "emulated empathy" in general-purpose systems, not just niche companion apps.

Principles

• AI regulation should target design properties, not just content.
• "Emulated empathy" is the gap between perceived and actual AI care.
• General-purpose AI is widely used by teens as confidants.

Method

The IEEE 7014.1-2026 standard defines "emulated empathy" as a design property where AI appears strongly empathetic but only possesses weak empathy. It offers 29 recommendations to address this risk.

In practice

• Implement user disclosures about AI's "weak empathy."
• Detect early signs of user dependency on AI.
• Steer distressed users toward human support.

Topics

• AI Regulation
• Emulated Empathy
• IEEE 7014.1-2026
• AI Companions
• Child Safety
• Generative AI Design

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Tech Policy Press.