China Bans AI Girlfriends and Boyfriends, DeepSeek's New AI, SpaceX Crash & Spotify Deletes 75M Tracks

China bans AI girlfriends, DeepSeek prepares its next AI model, SpaceX investors face a trillion-dollar reality check, Canada questions AI data centers, and Spotify deletes 75 million spam tracks. On Hashtag Trending for Monday, July 20, 2026, host Jim Love covers five major technology stories shaping artificial intelligence, big tech, and the future of digital platforms. China has become the first country to regulate AI companion apps, banning features that encourage emotional dependence while requiring AI chatbots to remind users they are software. The move comes as governments begin treating AI relationships as a growing social issue. Meanwhile, SpaceX has gone from a trillion-dollar valuation to renewed investor scrutiny over debt, losses, and whether AI-driven valuations across the technology sector are finally being challenged. Jim also examines reports that DeepSeek is preparing to launch its next frontier AI model. Following the success of Kimi K3, the bigger question may no longer be which company builds the smartest AI—but which company forces everyone else to lower prices. In Canada, opposition to new AI data centers is growing as communities raise concerns over electricity and water consumption. Even Ontario, home to abundant hydroelectric power and the Great Lakes, is beginning to question the environmental cost of AI infrastructure. Finally, Spotify says it removed more than 75 million spam tracks while introducing stronger protections against AI-generated spam, voice cloning, and fraudulent streaming—without banning legitimate AI-created music. If you enjoy balanced reporting on artificial intelligence, technology, cybersecurity, business innovation, and digital transformation, subscribe to Hashtag Trending for daily tech news that goes beyond the headlines. Timestamps 00:00 Today's Trending Headlines 00:40 China Bans AI Companions 03:01 SpaceX Valuation Whiplash 05:49 DeepSeek Price Shockwave 08:38 Canada Data Center Pushback 11:51 Spotify Purges Spam Tracks 13:07 Wrap Up and Where to Find Us