Advancements in artificial intelligence video-generation technology are reshaping China’s entertainment landscape, posing significant challenges to actors and online influencers within the country’s gig economy.
The introduction of AI-driven digital actors, such as ByteDance’s Seedance 2.0 model, has enabled producers to create high-quality original videos with greater speed and reduced costs. According to the China Netcasting Services Association, in the first quarter of 2026, approximately 128,000 short dramas were released in China—more than triple the volume of the previous year—and 95 percent of these productions were generated using AI technology.
On Douyin, ByteDance’s Chinese equivalent of TikTok, AI-generated content dominates the platform. DataEye, a marketing analytics firm, reported that 89 of the top 100 animated dramas on Douyin in May were created with AI. This shift has significant economic implications for the industry. A 2026 report from the National School of Development at Peking University estimates that China’s short-drama sector employs roughly 690,000 individuals directly. Furthermore, a 2024 report by the China Netcasting Services Association notes that about 15 million people consider live streaming their primary occupation.
The efficiency gains brought on by AI are substantial. Previously, producing a three- to five-minute drama could require five people working for three months. Today, Professor Shen Yang, director of the metaverse laboratory at Tsinghua University and head of AI animation firm Zeelin, highlights that similar content can be created by a single employee in just one to two days. The average cost per minute for AI-generated drama is approximately RMB 600-800 ($90-$120), roughly 10 percent of the expense associated with productions involving human actors.
The role of AI in the industry accelerated following the release of Seedance 2.0 earlier this year, according to Greg Wollner, a Beijing-based short-drama actor and producer. Wollner described a sharp decline in traditional acting opportunities: from filming three productions weekly before the software’s debut to a near-complete disappearance afterward. Many of his peers have reportedly left the profession, forced to seek alternative careers.
The impact extends beyond acting. A digital replica of popular streamer Luo Yonghao reportedly outperformed the real individual in several product categories, generating RMB 55 million ($7.7 million) in sales within seven hours, according to Baidu. Meanwhile, actor Todd Kuhns expressed frustration and resignation as AI advances have significantly diminished work prospects for himself and fellow performers.
Requests for comment from ByteDance on this evolving situation were not immediately answered.