Outrage in China after streaming site iQIYI debuts AI actor ‘database’

Beijing – A storm of controversy has erupted across China’s entertainment landscape following iQIYI’s unveiling of its new AI actor 'artist database.' The streaming giant, often dubbed China's Netflix, has drawn sharp criticism from over 100 celebrities and a wave of public outcry over a platform designed to facilitate the use of actors' digital likenesses in artificially generated dramas and films.

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We are not currently licensing the likeness of actors. Rather, we are enabling AI creators and actors to more quickly establish connections through Nadou Pro.

Actors have taken to social media, vehemently denying any affiliation with the 'artist database' and expressing deep concern over the potential displacement of human talent. Fans echo these sentiments, decrying iQIYI’s move as a threat to the authenticity and emotional resonance of artistic works. The phrase 'iQIYI went nuts' quickly became the top trending topic on Weibo, reflecting the widespread public dismay.

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There’s a misunderstanding here. What kind of drama, which shot — everything needs to be confirmed by the actor.

In response to the escalating backlash, iQIYI Senior Vice President Liu Wenfeng attempted to quell the controversy, labeling it a 'misunderstanding.' He insisted that the platform is not currently licensing actors' images but rather aims to streamline connections between AI creators and actors through its new tool, Nadou Pro. Liu emphasized that actors would retain control, with final confirmation required for any use of their likeness in AI-generated content.

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If actors all turn into AI, what warmth will these works of literature and art have?

However, these assurances have done little to appease critics. Comments from iQIYI CEO Gong Yu, suggesting that fully human-made work might become 'intangible cultural heritage'—a term usually reserved for relics of the past—have further fueled the debate. Legal experts also weigh in, warning of significant risks associated with AI's use of personal image data, including potential model fine-tuning, data leakage, and unauthorized secondary training, which could leave artists' digital assets beyond their control. This incident highlights the complex ethical and practical challenges emerging as China's vibrant entertainment industry rapidly integrates artificial intelligence.

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Once an artist’s image data is used for training platform models, there are technical risks such as model fine-tuning, data leakage and unauthorised secondary training, which are difficult to eliminate. This means that an artist’s digital assets may be reused…completely outside of their control.