AI Short Drama… Where Does Humanity Stand? [Media Observatory]

China's short drama industry has seen a significant shift with the integration of artificial intelligence, with 95% of new short dramas in the first quarter utilizing AI. The use of AI has reduced production costs, with one drama featuring a virtual actor costing around 110,000 yuan, compared to 1.5 million yuan for a traditional live-action drama.

The rise of AI has also led to the emergence of "face theft" disputes, where celebrities' and ordinary people's faces and voices are used without permission in AI-generated content. Meanwhile, face license platforms have appeared, allowing individuals to sell their faces for use in AI content for fees ranging from $15 to $700. Despite advancements, AI-generated content still has limitations, and human direction and editing are often required.