US Media: AI Sweeps China's Micro-Short Video Industry, Producing Content at $30 per Minute, Triggering a Wave of Actor Unemployment
AI-generated content is disrupting China's entertainment industry, particularly the micro-short video market designed specifically for mobile devices. In just March 2026, TikTok alone uploaded nearly 50,000 AI-generated micro-short videos—almost matching the total number uploaded throughout all of 2025. Some production companies have already achieved mass production of micro-short videos at an extremely low cost of just $30 per minute, requiring no cameras, no crews, and no real actors. The Chinese AI-powered micro-short video market is expected to exceed $3 billion in value this year, with the overall micro-short video market surpassing $14 billion.
Beneath the technological boom lies deep industry upheaval. Li Jiao'er (translated name), a 32-year-old actor, can hardly find roles in Hengdian, describing his acting opportunities as "suddenly cut off, like the rain has stopped"; Wang Yushun (translated name), a 37-year-old director, has transitioned to embracing AI special effects but had to downsize his live-action shooting team; Hou Xiaohu, a 40-year-old entrepreneur, runs an AI micro-short video company with around a dozen employees; producing a 100-minute animated series now takes only one month through collaboration by just three people.
Controversies have followed closely. Celebrities and ordinary individuals' likenesses are being used without consent in AI-generated series. Chinese regulators issued new rules last month requiring explicit permission from individuals before using their digital avatars. ByteDance’s Seedance has also restricted the use of real human faces.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1864149793959940/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author