Apple requires 18+ App Store rating for dating apps, AI companions

AI companions in the spotlight

Most major dating services already limit their platforms to adults, so the more notable effect may be on AI companion apps, including those where such functionality is just one of many features. Character.AI, Replika and similar apps let users create AI friends, lovers, boyfriends, girlfriends and other fantasy characters, and they are often aimed at younger people.

xAI also launched 3D animated AI companions last year that let users unlock NSFW capabilities. As of last summer, top AI companion apps across the Apple App Store and Google Play had been downloaded 220 million times globally.

Location sharing disclosures

Apps will also need to indicate if they share a user's real-world location with another person or group as part of their functionality. That raises obvious privacy concerns, particularly if users are not aware their location is being shared.

Apple noted an exception in Brazil: apps that provide location-sharing features for families can request an official rating from the government's Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP) instead of being listed with the A16 rating that local law otherwise requires.

The update follows other child-safety steps from Apple, including the global rollout of its age assurance technology and additional parental controls. Developers have until November 16 to update their apps' descriptors.