{
  "id": 367360,
  "title": "China’s breakout AI actress Fang Taozi has 250 million views — and human performers are getting nervous",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/chinas-breakout-ai-actress-fang-taozi-has-250-million-views-and-human",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-08-09T09:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/showbiz/2026/08/09/chinas-breakout-ai-actress-fang-taozi-has-250-million-views-and-human-performers-are-getting-nervous/230720"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a surprising turn of events, China's AI-generated actress Fang Taozi has garnered nearly 250 million views and amassed 250,000 followers in just two months. Known for her natural imperfections, such as pores, blemishes, sweaty skin, and matting hair, Fang has captivated audiences with her flawed yet relatable persona. Despite her artificial nature, Fang's authenticity has struck a chord with viewers, who have connected with her vulnerabilities and flaws. Her popularity has even surpassed that of some human influencers, leading to lucrative advertising deals. As AI technology becomes increasingly common in China's short-drama industry, with usage rising from 7% last year to an estimated 38% this year, Fang's success questions the notion that AI-generated characters will never replace human performers. While Fang's creators have aimed to make her convincing, not perfect, it remains to be seen whether AI-generated characters will fully replace human actors in the industry.",
  "summary": "SHANGHAI, Aug 9 — She has pores, blemishes and wrinkles. Her make-up fades after a long day. She sweats while clim...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "#SHOWBIZ: AI actress Fang Taozi commands close to RM160k for 60-second China ad",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/10/showbiz-ai-actress-fang-taozi-commands-close-to-rm160k-for-60-second",
        "published": "2026-08-10T08:44:31.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}