{
  "id": 9461879,
  "title": "China’s ‘Lipstick King’ confronts slower growth, AI disruption in livestream shopping",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/chinas-lipstick-king-confronts-slower-growth-ai-disruption-in-9461879",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-24T01:41:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Straits Times Business",
    "slug": "straits-times-business",
    "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/chinas-lipstick-king-confronts-slower-growth-ai-disruption-in-livestream-shopping"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In Shanghai, China's \"Lipstick King,\" Li Jiaqi, once a prominent figure in the livestream shopping industry, finds himself confronting a slower growth landscape and the disruptive impact of artificial intelligence. Despite his long-standing presence, Li believes growth has slowed, yet he remains optimistic about the industry's future. \"Growth may not be as explosive as it was four or five years ago,\" he stated, but added that the sector has entered a \"stable and healthy phase.\" The industry is currently navigating a weaker consumer environment, with retail sales growth at just 0.4 percent in August, down from July's 0.6 percent. However, livestreaming has still reshaped China's shopping habits, with online retail sales surpassing 36 percent in 2025, up from less than 18 percent in 2021.\n\nDigital hosts powered by AI are playing a significant role in the sector's evolution, reducing operating costs by up to 80-90 percent. JD.com even made its AI hosting service free to merchants, leading to a surge in adoption. However, while AI hosts can replicate the role of human presenters, Li maintains that they cannot replace the human touch. \"AI is always yesterday's version of me, while today's version of me can offer new ideas and new perspectives,\" he explained.\n\nAs the industry grapples with cost-cutting and the competition for consumer attention, the role of human hosts is under scrutiny. Digital presenters still struggle to replicate the trust and judgement that drive sales, with Lu Lin, a 23-year-old host, asserting that \"AI might respond, ‘You should wear size M or size L.’ But a human host would say something more nuanced.\" The debate surrounding AI's impact on livestream shopping extends to regulators and consumers, with clear labelling rules for AI-generated content taking effect in September 2025. Douyin, China's TikTok rival, has even banned fully AI-generated livestreams and requires transparency in the use of digital hosts. Despite these challenges, some experts believe that human hosts may still have a place in the industry, particularly for their ability to build trust and deliver nuanced responses.",
  "summary": "E-commerce merchants are increasingly deploying digital hosts that can stream around the clock.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Business Times - Companies & Markets",
        "title": "China’s ‘lipstick king’ confronts slower growth, AI disruption in livestream shopping",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/chinas-lipstick-king-confronts-slower-growth-ai-disruption-in",
        "published": "2026-09-24T01:46:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}