China sees AI actors surpass human value, with 95% of short dramas now AI-produced

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming China's content creation landscape, with AI-generated actors now commanding higher advertising rates than their human counterparts. The virtual actor "Fang Taozi," a star of the AI short drama "The Fired Girl," has secured advertising deals worth 258,000 yuan (approximately $36,000) for ads exceeding 60 seconds. This figure surpasses the rates commanded by many human influencers, including some with millions of followers.

Fang Taozi has become a commercial intellectual property in her own right, gaining over 412,000 followers on Douyin (China's version of TikTok) within two months of the drama's release. The series itself has garnered over 220 million views and 800 million online mentions, demonstrating the commercial viability of AI-driven entertainment. Advertisers are embracing this "AI star cultivation" model, allowing characters to maintain engagement with fans through social media interactions, sharing daily life snippets, and even showcasing hobbies.

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The advertising rate for virtual actor and model 'Fang Taozi' registered on the advertising platform Xingtu is 258,000 yuan (about 55 million won) for video advertisements over 60 seconds.

The surge in AI short dramas is largely attributed to significantly lower production costs. While a live-action short drama can cost around 1.5 million yuan ($310,000), "The Fired Girl" was reportedly produced for approximately 110,000 yuan ($23,000). This cost-effectiveness allows production companies to create multiple AI-driven projects simultaneously, testing market responses more rapidly.

The market size for AI short dramas in China is exploding, with projections estimating it to reach 40 billion yuan ($8.4 billion) annually. In the first quarter of the year, AI short dramas constituted over 95% of all new short drama releases. This rapid growth is disrupting the traditional live-action production sector. Media reports indicate a decline in work for film bases and studios in major production hubs like Zhengzhou and Xi'an, with some former filming locations now seeing very few crews. This shift has led to business closures and job losses for actors and filming staff, with some former short drama actors reportedly resorting to delivery work or selling vegetables to make a living.

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The production cost for 'The Fired Girl' was about 110,000 yuan (about 23 million won).