22 October 2026 News

Manufacturing : At a factory in Nanjing that produces 5G base stations and servers, ZTE has deployed more than 80 AI agents to coordinate warehouse and production management. The park management and dispatch process has also introduced an anthropomorphic “digital duty officer,” through which the primary agent receives tasks and distributes them to a “digital human” in the machine room, which then dispatches robots to fixed locations to complete inspections, reducing alarm discovery time from the original 15 minutes to the minute level. The relevant solution was introduced by ZTE Xingyun Digital Technology’s industry solution planning expert Liu Ming (刘明) and the company’s vice president Zhou Jianfeng (周建峰).

Cultural : The culture and tourism sector is introducing digital human guides and narrators on a large scale. Shandongshengrenminzhengfu (山东省人民政府) issued the “Shandong Province Tourism Industry Development ‘15th Five-Year Plan’” which explicitly supports scenic areas in deploying digital human interpreters, applying artificial intelligence generated content (AIGC) and three-dimensional (3D) printing technology to innovate cultural and creative design and production, and building a new mode of “artificial intelligence plus mixed reality” tour guide and navigation; China’s Ministry of Commerce released the “Opinions on Accelerating the Promotion of Science and Technology-Driven Commerce” which similarly proposes cultivating healthy and standardized virtual digital human companion and other intelligent service new business forms, and supporting scenic areas in deploying digital human interpreters. Ministry of Culture and Tourism the person in charge of the Industrial Development Division Zhou Hanping (周汉萍) disclosed at the press conference that 14 “artificial intelligence plus culture and tourism” application pilot projects have completed selection and project approval, covering scenarios such as AI digital human guide, companion, and interpretation services. Yanan Yangjialing Geming Jiuzhi (延安杨家岭革命旧址) launched the “AR (augmented reality) glasses digital human interpreter device,” creating “AI Tracing City Traces·Postcards That Tell Stories,” providing visitors with an immersive “time-travel” revolutionary history experience. Shandong Province simultaneously launched the “Qifeng Luyun·AI Revitalization” 2026 Shandong Culture and Tourism AIGC Video Creation Competition, establishing the “Sage New Words·AI Revitalizing History” track, encouraging the use of digital humans and text-to-video technology to interpret tales of sages and recreate Qi-Lu historical scenes. Furthermore, Luster LightTech leading the construction of Kua Motai Kongjian Shiting Shengcheng Yu Jiaohu Beijingshi Zhongdian Shiyanshi (跨模态空间视听生成与交互北京市重点实验室) landing in Shougang Yuan (首钢园), jointly with its wholly-owned subsidiary Yuanke Shijie tackling photorealistic digital twin and immersive virtual-physical interaction technology, supporting the implementation of digital performance, virtual production and other scenarios. At the Jingdezhen International Ceramic Expo, Jingdezhenshi Zhizaoye Shuzihua Zhuanxing Cujin Zhongxin (景德镇市制造业数字化转型促进中心) launched the AI intelligent agent “Ciboa,” embodying as a virtual persona with blue-and-white porcelain elements in Chinese style aesthetic, providing digital and intelligent transformation consulting services for ceramic enterprises through voice interaction.

Entertainment : China’s first hyperrealistic sci-fi animated feature film to have AI deeply participate in the entire production process and obtain China State Council Information Office theatrical release permission, “Sanxingdui: Tales from the Future,” launched nationwide on October 23rd. The entire film features no human actors, with all characters, scenes, actions, and expressions generated by native AI technology. The film is adapted from the AI short drama “Sanxingdui: Future Apocalypse” that went online on Douyin (抖音), completed after two years of refinement. Simultaneously, China’s AI original artist economy is rapidly taking shape: the female lead “Fang Taozi” from the AI short drama “The Laid-Off Girl” opened an independent account, accumulating hundreds of thousands of followers through daily lifestyle content operations, with advertising rates reaching as high as 258,000 yuan per deal, but was removed due to false advertising controversy arising from endorsing contact lens products as a virtual character; Qi Wei (戚薇) launched the limited-authorization digital avatar “Han Qingxia,” starring in the AI manhua drama “Last Summer,” and is exploring the establishment of a reasonable revenue distribution system; Mangguo TV (芒果TV) announced on its Mangguo Lingchuang Juchang (芒果灵创剧场) the debut of five native AI artists—Cheng Du, Fang Yu, Lin En’na, Qi Xu, and Zhan Yan—starring in the series “How Impressive, My Friend”; Yaoke Media signed AI artists Qin Lingyue and Lin Xiyan, starring in the AIGC series “The Bronze Mystery of Qinling”; the AI girl group management company BABYPVSSY’s virtual artist Mity sparked discussion with a plot of “pregnancy and group withdrawal,” which the operations team later admitted was entirely fictional. The Chinese-style AI digital human “Guo Xiaofeng” served as the host for the variety show “Chinese Style Super Interesting,” Ali Da Wenyu (阿里大文娱)’s digital human “Lili” served as the question setter for “The Cat in the Box,” and AI director “Aimang” planned itineraries for guests and interacted with them in “We Three.” iFLYTEK demonstrated an AI virtual human interactive platform and an GuideX digital human interactive platform targeting overseas markets at the 1024 Developer Festival, supporting smart hardware and digital human application development. The first AI series Hunan Malan Shan Shipin Wenchuang Chanyeyuan (湖南马栏山视频文创产业园) incubated, “The Quest After Journey to the West,” aired on Hunanweishi (湖南卫视), driving the stock price of Mango Excellent Media upward.

Ethical Contexts : The rampant abuse of AI digital humans has drawn widespread public attention. Short video platforms have seen a surge of AI digital humans named “Xiaohao,” who exploit elderly audiences by using heartstring-tugging scripts—portraying themselves as considerate, embarrassed, and sympathetic to their elders—addressing viewers as “aunties” and “mommies” while promoting products with commissions reaching as high as 55%; Wulumuqi Tielu Gongan (乌鲁木齐铁路公安) railway police once stopped a 79-year-old man who had independently purchased a ticket to travel to Yuncheng, Shanxi to visit the non-existent “relative Xiaohao.” Beijinghangkonghangtiandaxue Faxueyuan (北京航空航天大学法学院) An associate professor Zhao Jingwu (赵精武) pointed out that such behavior targeting elderly individuals experiencing emotional deficiency within families can be characterized as fraud, and platforms should implement specialized protections in algorithmic recommendation and anti-fraud publicity efforts. In another incident, actor Wu Yue (吴越) discovered that account " Huajie Meifu Riji " (“花姐美肤日记”) utilized AI face-swapping technology to extract her publicly available images and replicate her voice, fabricating product promotion videos recommending skincare products, with the related products generating approximately 500,000 yuan in sales over the past 30 days; previously, public figures including Deng Yaping (邓亚萍), Zhang Wenhong (张文宏), Wen Zhengrong (温峥嵘), and Hai Qing (海清) had also been impersonated by AI for product promotion; the account in question has been permanently banned by the platform, and experts including lawyer Hunan Tiandiren Lvshi Shiwusuo (湖南天地人律师事务所) Yu Hao (喻皓) and senior network security engineer Yuan Bo (袁博) have suggested establishing a rapid verification channel for public figures and requiring AI tool operators to implement “pre-review before generation” for digital human image creation. Cyberspace Administration of China has drafted the “Digital Virtual Human Information Service Management Measures (Draft for Public Comment)” which has been released for public consultation; Nankaidaxue Faxueyuan (南开大学法学院) vice president contributed an article to Study Times noting that the operation of digital virtual humans involves multiple legal risks including infringement of personality rights, data security, content security, and minor protection, and should refine governance standards, establish coordinated supervision mechanisms, and strengthen technology compliance, including displaying “digital human” labels throughout, prohibiting provision of virtual intimate relationship services to minors, and other measures. Commentator Jiang Debin (江德斌) wrote that current advertising law does not clearly define the boundaries for AI virtual human endorsements, and AI virtual humans claiming in the first person that they have “tested the product and confirmed its effectiveness” are suspected of fabricating user experience, calling for swift amendments to regulations to clarify which products must be endorsed by actual individuals with real testing.

Enterprise : At the 140th Canton Fair, AI intelligent digital human “Xiaolv Tongxue AI” entered a national-level major trade and economic exposition for the first time to provide legal services. Independently developed by Guangdong Nanfang Fu Ruide Lvshi Shiwusuo (广东南方福瑞德律师事务所) and stationed by Guangzhoushi Lvshixiehui (广州市律师协会), it worked alongside Guangzhou’s legal service team to offer foreign-related legal consultations in over 20 languages to domestic and foreign clients, cumulatively serving over 50 clients, completing intelligent contract reviews on 12 documents with an average processing time of 5 minutes and a real-time resolution rate of 100%. The digital human operates on a global knowledge base of approximately 80 million legal documents, supporting fundamental legal questions covering 168 countries and regions. Shentong Kuaidi (申通快递) for the first time incorporated AI as a “digital worker” directly into front-line operations in its peak-season service guarantee plan, leveraging SClaw intelligence capabilities, with “digital avatars” assisting couriers in outbound calls and route planning at the last-mile segment. EETOP forum unveiled “Xiaoxin Liver,” a vertical IC-sector AI virtual person, providing 7×24-hour online design debugging and technical consultation services to chip engineers. China Unicom showcased an AI customer service hotline developed based on experience from Beijing’s 12345 hotline at the 2026 China Outdoor Sports Industry Conference, using voice, text, and digital human multimodal interactions to cover the entire process of outdoor sports before, during, and after activities. Soul App founding team released an intelligent audio-video real-time interactive solution together with Huawei Cloud, leveraging self-developed interactive large model SoulX to generate real-time digital human capabilities, and expanding voice interaction, emotional expression, and digital personality capabilities to intelligent hardware terminals.

Marketing : During the 2026 “Double 11” shopping festival, JD.com launched the first AI digital human on JoyAI App capable of real-time video shopping, enabling users to place orders directly during calls; Kuaishou widely applied AI interactive assistants and digital avatar services in livestream e-commerce to enhance anchor service efficiency, with its AI Wanxiang gifts cumulatively distributed over 1 million times, and over 850,000 e-commerce merchants using its free AI business management tools. Xingchao omall (星巢omall) adopted a light-asset operational model, leveraging AI shopping guides and digital human livestreaming to reduce customer acquisition and fulfillment marginal costs. Lingshu Zhonghe (零数众合) obtained an invention patent titled “Trustworthy Data Permission Matching Access Method and System for Digital Avatars,” with authorization publication number CN120528651B. Targeting overseas markets, Chinese smart hardware brand Laihua (来画) launched a “talking” AI photo frame with integrated AI Agent capabilities that enable real-time conversation, entering cultural and tourism scenarios in the Middle East such as Louvre Abu Dhabi, and entering museums and exhibition halls domestically for educational purposes.

Healthcare : At the 2026 International MPS Alliance (iMPSS) Asia-Pacific Summit and the Ninth Academic Conference on Organoids and Organ-on-Chip, Dongnandaxue Qiguan Xinpian Yanjiuyuan (东南大学器官芯片研究院) Dean Gu Zhongze (顾忠泽), director of the National Key Laboratory for Digital Medical Engineering, proposed that data generated by organ chips can be integrated with cell experiment and animal experiment data, and with the aid of AI, generate “digital virtual humans” to predict the efficacy of drugs under development. Suzhou Beilun Shengwukeji (苏州贝伦生物科技有限公司) jointly initiated with Dongnandaxue Qiguan Xinpian Yanjiuyuan (东南大学器官芯片研究院), Nanjing Gulou Yiyuan (南京鼓楼医院) and other teams the world’s first personalized mRNA tumor vaccine clinical study combining organ chips and AI, inputting organoid chip experimental data into AI models to design drug molecules. Changchun Gaoxin (长春高新) disclosed in investor interactions that the company has achieved substantial breakthroughs in applying biological model (virtual human) technology in the fields of AI drug discovery, large model protein design, and clinical research design, with an AI-optimized blood-brain barrier crossing delivery platform that doubles the brain entry efficiency compared to single-target approaches. According to reports, a novel drug R&D enterprise that completed approximately $100 million in financing is exploring a “computational medicine” pathway, simulating drug responses through “feeding virtual humans electronic drugs,” attempting to rewrite the traditional pharmaceutical R&D logic.

Capital Markets : In the A-share market, virtual digital humans have become a core label for multiple concept stocks. Shenzhenshi Jiachuang Shixun Jishu (深圳市佳创视讯技术股份有限公司) has repeatedly appeared on the Dragon and Tiger List due to involvement in virtual digital human and online celebrity livestreaming concept sectors; Zheda Wangxin (浙大网新) stated on an interactive platform that the company’s industrial digital intelligence business covers virtual digital human-related sectors; Guangzhou Fantuo Shuchuang Shuzi Chuangyi Keji (广州凡拓数创数字创意科技股份有限公司) stated that it continues to explore the metaverse exhibition hall and virtual digital human fields, combining AI middleware and knowledge middleware to achieve personalized and intensive services in exhibition hall operations; Yinli Media positions AI comic dramas as an independent business unit, building an AI advertising, AI comic drama, and AI social business matrix, and has attracted capital attention due to virtual digital human and AI marketing concepts; Sichuan Xinwenwang Chuanmei ( Jituan ) (四川新闻网传媒(集团)) launched a virtual anchor “Xiaoyu” under its brand that integrates AR, AI, and motion capture technology, applicable to livestreaming, e-commerce, and short video scenarios; Fengshang Wenhua Jituan (锋尚文化集团)’s subsidiary Fengshang Huyu (锋尚互娱) has laid out four major business sectors including virtual performance cloud platform and virtual digital human operator, partnering with Zhongguoyidong Migu (中国移动咪咕) to build a virtual reality metaverse bit scene " J WORLD " (“J WORLD”); Xinhuanet established the Xinhua Digital Human Laboratory to conduct “comprehensive, full-process, full-chain” digital human research, production, and operations; Guao Technology launched the “Guao Finance—Financial Digital Human” product and laid out digital RMB hardware wallets; Tianyoude Highland Barley Spirit launched the digital virtual character “Li Ling’er,” presenting regional characteristics and the historical culture of highland barley liquor; Guomai Wenhuachuanmei (果麦文化传媒股份有限公司) explores virtual character IP research and development to support interactive metaverse scenario construction, with subsidiary Guomaizhiyu (果麦智娱) launching the AI short drama “The Rebellious One of Three Realms, Heaven’s Swords and Spears”; Nanwei Ruanjian (南威软件) received regulatory warnings from Shanghaizhengquanjiaoyisuo (上海证券交易所) for inaccurate and incomplete information disclosure regarding AI short dramas and smart computing center business; Huace Yingshi (华策影视) and Tianyu Digital Technology (Dalian) Group Co., Ltd. and other companies stated that AIGC has penetrated the entire film and television production chain, with digital human actor original painting modeling costs potentially reduced by up to 80%.

Consumer : Zhongguo Wanju He Yingtong Yongpin Xiehui (中国玩具和婴童用品协会) released the “2026 China Licensing Industry Mid-Year Trend Report” at the 22nd China Licensing Industry Trend Conference, pointing out that virtual avatar IPs have become a new driver of “fan economy.” During the reporting period, the number of virtual avatar IPs grew 4.4 times year-over-year, while licensing collaboration instances increased 3.7 times year-over-year. Among independent IPs, Hatsune Miku has the most collaboration instances, with licensed industries expanding from 4 to 9 categories. Simultaneously, the number of domestic celebrity virtual avatar IPs conducting licensing business increased from 1 to 11, with licensing collaboration instances rising from 1 to 17. On the other hand, Xiao Tiancai (小天才) children’s smartwatches have drawn scrutiny due to their closed “tap to add friend” social system and “homepage circle” virtual avatar and badge display features. Parents worry that children not using this brand’s smartwatch may be excluded from campus social circles, and the like counts on related virtual avatars have even spawned a gray market industry chain of account buying and selling.