Top Stories – July 24, 2026
1. China AI Companion Law Takes Effect, Forcing ByteDance Doubao and Alibaba Qwen to Shut Down Features for Hundreds of Millions
Source: TechTimes | Date: July 15, 2026
China’s Cyberspace Administration enforcement of the Interim Measures for AI Human-Like Interaction Services took effect July 15, forcing ByteDance’s Doubao and Alibaba’s Qwen to shut down personalized AI companion features used by hundreds of millions. The rules require clear AI identity disclosure, anti-addiction safeguards, security assessments, and user consent before training on personal data – representing China’s first major domestic enforcement action on anthropomorphic AI services.
2. EU Digital Omnibus Still Absent from Official Journal with 9 Days to August 2
Source: DLA Piper | Date: July 24, 2026
The EU Digital Omnibus – which would shift high-risk AI system deadlines from August 2026 to December 2027 – has not appeared in the EU Official Journal as of July 24. Publication must occur by approximately July 30 for the three-day entry-into-force period to clear before August 2, meaning companies still cannot formally rely on the extended timeline with enforcement just over a week away.
3. EO 14409’s August 1 Deadline: Classified Benchmarks to Define Which AI Companies Face Pre-Release Government Access
Source: Congressional Research Service | Date: July 9, 2026
NSA, CISA, and NIST have until August 1 to deliver classified benchmarks identifying which AI systems qualify as “covered frontier models” under Executive Order 14409, determining which developers must give the federal government up to 30 days of pre-release access. The voluntary pre-release framework itself is also due August 1, making next week a defining operational moment for US frontier AI governance.