Apple is closing a gap in how the App Store rates AI companion apps. In a developer notice dated November 2, 2026, the company said App Store Connect will add two new content descriptors to its age rating questionnaire, and that any app declaring the first of them, Dating and Relationships, will automatically receive a minimum rating of 18+.
Apple's definition is what pulls AI into the rule. Dating and Relationships covers features that enable dating or relationship connections between real people and/or a virtual companion that engages a user in sexual or romantic content. That means a general-purpose chatbot or a social app with a romance mode is treated the same way as a dedicated dating service once the developer declares the feature. The second descriptor, Shared Location, covers sharing a user's real-world location with another person or group; Apple says it may not affect the minimum rating in some regions.
The timeline is short. The new questions appear in App Store Connect on November 16, 2026, and developers must answer them whenever they submit an app update or change their age rating answers. Every app on the store must have completed the declarations by January 12, 2027. Apple also spelled out a Brazil-specific rule: local regulations there require an A16 rating for Shared Location and A18 for Dating and Relationships, although developers who believe their app deserves a lower rating, for instance a location-sharing app built for parents and children, can request an official rating from Brazil's Ministry of Justice and Public Security.
Several outlets reported the change independently. TechCrunch, which flagged the notice on November 3, highlighted the impact on AI companion apps such as Character.AI and Replika, which let users create friends, partners and fantasy characters, and cited a figure of about 220 million downloads for the top companion apps across Apple's and Google's stores. The Verge pointed out that the App Store's 18+ tier has mostly applied to gambling, violence, drugs or sexual content, and described the change as an effort to keep minors away from romanceable chatbots and virtual partner simulators. Engadget reported that the rating means such apps will not appear for children whose parents have set content restrictions, and 9to5Mac published the full text of Apple's descriptors and deadlines.
Most major dating services already restrict themselves to adults, so the practical effect falls mainly on apps where romance is one feature among many. Developers of chatbots and companion apps now face a choice: declare the feature and accept the 18+ rating, or remove or rework the romantic mode. The rule also follows other child-safety steps Apple has taken, including the global rollout of its age assurance technology and expanded parental controls, according to TechCrunch.
The change lands as AI companions draw increasing scrutiny over their effect on young users, and it shifts part of the burden onto app makers' self-declarations. Apple has not said how it will check that developers answer accurately, what happens to apps that fail to declare a romantic feature, or whether existing ratings will be reviewed proactively before the January deadline.