China Turns to Artificial Intelligence to Convince Youth to Marry through "Regret Videos"

Amid declining marriage rates in China, some parents have resorted to using modern technology to persuade their children to marry and start families. In 2024, China recorded approximately 6.106 million marriage registrations, a decrease of 20.5% compared to the previous year, with a national marriage rate of 4.3 per 1,000 people, according to Xinhua News Agency and the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

"Regret Videos" Go Viral on Platforms

Chinese social media platforms like Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok) and Weibo are witnessing a widespread spread of videos known as **"Regret Videos" generated by artificial intelligence**, featuring elderly characters expressing regret for not marrying or having children earlier, focusing on their parents' advice.

Examples of the videos include:
An AI-generated 58-year-old woman alone in a hospital, compared to patients surrounded by their families.
A 56-year-old character expressing regret for ignoring her parents' advice about starting a family.
Despite being labeled as AI-generated, these videos quickly garner millions of views on social media platforms.

Mixed Reactions

Some commentators described the phenomenon as an "electronic siege" by parents, while critics warned that these methods could increase social divides between the married and unmarried, generating feelings of resentment.

Young people's reactions were often sarcastic and critical, with some considering the use of AI to produce crying and regretting characters instead of real people as funny and ineffective, while others felt that the videos might enhance resistance to family pressure and encourage youth to remain intentionally single.

Reflection of Social Anxiety

This phenomenon reflects the growing social anxiety in China regarding declining marriage rates and changing family structures, showing how modern technology, including artificial intelligence, can be used for direct social influence on personal decisions.