24 October 2026 News

Ethical Contexts : Bulk AI digital humans named “Xiaohhai” have proliferated on short-video platforms, adopting a persona as a “unfortunate boy” who laments single-parent families and difficult circumstances, specifically targeting middle-aged and elderly users with emotion-driven e-commerce, with related matrix accounts including “Haihai Shares Life,” “Thoughtful Xiaohhai,” “Xiaohhai Works Hard,” and “Haihai Will Try,” selling products at prices generally higher than other platforms; Douyin confirmed during the “Clear·Rectifying False Personas in Short Videos” special campaign that “Xiaohhai” is an AI-synthesized digital human, and from October 1 to 22 disposed of over 20,000 violating accounts and removed 47,000 violating videos, yet similar accounts with face-swapped and rebranded variants continue to resurface, exposing the platform’s “whack-a-mole” governance lag. Lawyer Rui Huanyue pointed out that using AI virtual images to profit from emotional manipulation may involve civil, administrative, or even criminal liability, and platforms should implement statutory duties in pre-labeling, real-time monitoring, and post-infringement assistance. Meanwhile, AI micro-dramas on the mainland have also triggered addiction among elderly users, with Hong Kong netizens reporting mothers spending 13 to 15 hours daily watching “AI-face” dramas, with characters’ highly homogeneous refined features sparking “AI-face” aesthetic discomfort discussions; the AI short-drama industry has also spawned a new “facial authorization” business model, where ordinary people can sign authorization agreements to license their likenesses for AI drama production, with single authorizations priced around 100 yuan.

Healthcare : Qinghuadaxue Zhineng Chanye Yanjiuyuan (清华大学智能产业研究院) (AIR) incubated Zijing Zhikang (紫荆智康) (Tairex) released “Zijing AI Yiyuan (紫荆AI医院)” multi-agent collaborative ecosystem, implementing real-time cross-specialty collaboration and multidisciplinary consultation through the construction of doctor “AI avatars”: AI doctors undergo high-throughput training first in a virtual world composed of millions of hyper-realistic AI patients, and after entering physical hospitals, jointly receive patients with human doctors and co-evolve, currently having constructed 54 AI doctors covering over 20 clinical departments and tens of thousands of diseases, with accuracy exceeding 96% on the MedQA dataset; as of July 2026, Beijing Qinghua Changgengyiyuan (北京清华长庚医院) has 18 clinical departments and over 40 doctors regularly using the system, improving diagnostic and therapeutic efficiency by 30%. This technological approach originates from the SEAL (simulation-based evolvable agent learning) architecture proposed by Professor Liu Yang (刘洋)’s team at AIR, with the Agent Hospital paper published in 2024 listed by Nature as a core case of AI virtual avatars landing in the medical field; Chief Marketing Officer Li Zheng (李政) and Chief Product Officer Qiao Yuchen (乔宇宸) emphasized at the launch event the vision of universal basic medical care with “minor illnesses treated in counties, major illnesses treated within provinces”. In Fujian, Zhongguodianxin Fujian Gongsi (中国电信福建公司) jointly with China Telecom Artificial Intelligence Technology Company launched “Jixiang Fu Medicine” Chinese medicine large model-powered digital human triage pre-consultation all-in-one machine “Xiaoji”, deployed in Fujiansheng Renmin Yiyuan (福建省人民医院) outpatient hall, using a Chinese medicine “medicine child” image to provide patients with precise department recommendations and guide registration through full voice interaction, effectively alleviating elderly patients’ pain points of “not knowing how to operate and not hearing clearly”; Xiamen’s “5G+AI” smart emergency rescue system and AI voice large model medical record quality control are also being promoted across multiple locations in Fujian. In Ningxia Yinchuan (宁夏银川), industrial AI digital human “Xiaoxin” was introduced in manufacturing technology upgrade pilot programs, cumulatively serving over 4,500 enterprise instances; Liaoningsheng (辽宁省) built the “Liao Xiaobao (辽小宝)” AI digital human service platform, providing medical insurance consultation services around the clock for insured residents.

Entertainment : Singer Yuan Yawei (袁娅维) seriously responded in a Tencent Entertainment exclusive interview to the concept of “using AI to create a digital avatar to perform on stage while the performer watches from the audience,” saying “it’s possible, actually quite possible.” This vision has been repeatedly amplified across multiple reports, with discussions focusing on whether AI digital avatars can replicate the performer’s live improvisational vocal runs and emotional intensity. Fans generally believe that the authenticity and connection of live performances are irreplaceable. Meanwhile, artist Qi Wei (戚薇) has already authorized the launch of digital avatar “Han Qingxia” and participated in the AI animated drama “The Last Radiant Summer,” admitting that after AI performance iterations to version 2.5, the refinement level “performs better than me.” However, the drama’s promotional video sparked controversy over “voyeuristic” camera angles with upskirt shots, plunging it into a public relations storm. Actors He Saifei (何赛飞), Feng Yuanzheng (冯远征), Ni Hongjie (倪虹洁), Hao Lei (郝蕾), and others have publicly stated their positions on the boundaries between AI and human performance, generally believing that AI can complete high-difficulty stunts and certain shots, but refined emotions and “soul” performances still require human actors. The AI virtual idol ecosystem has simultaneously experienced multiple controversies: members of South Korean AI girl group BABYQUEEN, Mity, announced a pregnancy and temporary hiatus through a first-person “handwritten letter,” only to release a new song preview an hour later, with creators admitting this was a fictional exit reason; AI short drama character “Uncle Ji” (nico) was championed by fans in BL CP voting but was later assigned to perform in a BG drama, earning the nickname “the first AI to collapse” from netizens; Mangguo TV (芒果TV) joined with Lize Yingye (丽泽影业) to launch five “licensed” native AI artists—Chengdu, Fangyu, Lin Enna, Qi Xu, and Zhanyan—through Mangguo Lingchuang (芒果灵创) and starred them in “Amazing Friends.” AI short drama spin-off internet celebrity Fang Taozi achieved over 200 million views nationwide with “The Girl Who Was Laid Off” and gained 400,000 new followers monthly, but an endorsement advertisement for colored contact lenses was taken down due to skepticism over “virtual person without eyes claiming comfortable wear,” with the operator admitting the quote of 258,000 yuan was deliberately inflated to block business cooperation. Actor Wu Yue (吴越) experienced an infringement incident where her face and voice were unauthorized by an AI account “Sister Hua” for product promotion. Additionally, virtual musician “Yunee余音音” released AI music work “We Have No Name,” telling through first-person narratives of historical women like the mother of Mencius and the wife of Du Fu about their overlooked life contributions. On e-commerce platforms, the facial features of real model Duo Duo (多多) are suspected to have been unauthorized “face-swapped” by merchants for AI-generated outfit videos, reflecting the prevalence of disputes over AI virtual model and real image authorization in the apparel e-commerce sector.

Short Drama Industry : China’s AI micro-drama industry is experiencing rapid expansion, with 490,000 micro-dramas launched nationwide in January-September 2026, reaching a user scale of 850 million and monthly active users exceeding 600 million. The sector is regarded as the fourth major global audiovisual product format after American films, Japanese animation, and Korean television dramas, with the overseas market projected to exceed $6 billion in 2026. The top ten platforms by downloads and in-app purchase revenue are predominantly dominated by Chinese-backed applications. In the A-share market, Leyard Optoelectronic Co., Ltd., Sanwei Tiandi (三维天地), Huichen Gufen (慧辰股份), FanTuo Digital Creation, Aotuo Dianzi (奥拓电子), Tianyu Digital Technology (Dalian) Group Co., Ltd., Wasu Media, Haitian Ruisheng (海天瑞声), COL Group Co., Ltd., Huace Yingshi (华策影视), and BlueFocus virtual digital human and micro-drama concept stocks have repeatedly hit daily limits, with companies including Ciwen Chuanmei (慈文传媒), Xin Jingdian (新经典), Zhangyue Keji (掌阅科技), Guomai Wenhua (果麦文化), COL Group Co., Ltd. subsidiaries such as FlareFlow attracting investor interest through IP rights reserves and AI micro-drama adaptation layouts. “Sanxingdui: Tales of the Future,” the world’s first hyperrealistic feature film with deep AI involvement in the entire production process achieving commercial theatrical release, has landed in cinemas nationwide, adapted from the AI micro-drama “Sanxingdui·Future Revelation.” The production team comprises nearly 100 people, took two years to complete, and underwent hundreds of iterations while strictly adhering to film industry standards. Bona Yingye (博纳影业)’s “AI Film Matrix” second work “Unplanned: Guanghan Action” has commenced production, while iQIYI’s Liaoyuan Jihua (燎原计划) plans to launch over 40 AIGC films throughout the year. Yuncheng city secured its first “computing power loan” by leveraging the AI micro-drama industry landing, with Zhongguoyinhang Yunchengshi Fenhang (中国银行运城市分行) using computing consumption and business orders as lightweight assets for credit assessment, supporting local AI micro-drama production companies in purchasing computing resources to serve “AI+cultural tourism micro-drama” creation. Additionally, AI micro-dramas such as “Rebel of the Three Realms” (co-released by Guomaizhiyu (果麦智娱) and Xingjutong (星剧通)) and “Deep Affection Encroaches Upon My Remaining Life” continue exploring out-of-drama content operations and CP interaction monetization for AI talent accounts. The acting profession has been notably impacted by AI micro-dramas, with formerly popular micro-drama lead actor Xu Peng (许鹏) losing employment as AI micro-dramas batch-replace live-action appearances, returning to his hometown to sell orange juice and vegetables.

Enterprise and Industrial Applications : China Mobile Building a “1+N+M” supply chain AI capability system and creating an Zhong Yiling Cai (中移灵采) agent plaza, introducing digital humans in the bidding evaluation phase to provide end-to-end intelligent guidance, automatically correlating evaluation clauses, calculating objective scores, and comparing evaluator score discrepancies, while coordinating embodied intelligent robots to conduct multi-modal inspections at evaluation sites. In a 5G base station and server manufacturing facility in Nanjing, Jiangsu, ZTE deployed an anthropomorphic “digital duty officer” agent that operates 24/7 to dispatch different AI agents for machine room inspection and maintenance, reducing alarm detection time from the original 15 minutes to the minute level. Shenkai Hong (深开鸿) released the “OpenHarmony Smart Space Solution” at the second Innovation Technology Conference, partnering with Dongguan Xiaotun Zhineng (小豚智能) based on M-Robots OS to create retail embodied computing terminals capable of providing digital human convenience guidance services; Shenzhen Guangdian (深圳广电) partnered with Shenkai Hong (深开鸿) to build China’s first lightweight OpenHarmony smart broadcasting studio solution, combining multi-agent collaborative production hub and intelligent content scheduling platform. In the employment promotion activity of the Guangdong western region retired military personnel employment alliance, Honghai Zhipin (红海直聘) established an AI intelligence zone, innovatively adopting a “corporate HR live streaming + field live broadcasting by anchors + AI digital human 24/7 broadcasting” model to push job information. Additionally, Chinese shipping company vessels including the “Xinhai Jing 1 (新海鲸1)” ship are equipped with a “digital sentinel” system based on AI vision and LiDAR fusion, leveraging “digital human” technology to achieve all-weather safety situational awareness and intelligent risk warning with recognition accuracy exceeding 95%.

Marketing and E-commerce : AI virtual models on e-commerce platforms are widely replacing real product photography, with generation errors that violate human body structure appearing—such as models’ backs remaining frontal after turning, arms vanishing into thin air and reappearing on another side. Merchants on Pinduoduo Duo Duo (多多), Douyin, Taobao, JD.com, Little Red Book and other platforms all use such materials, with some customer service representatives still falsely claiming they are “real photography” when questioned. A typical case reported by Guangzhou Intermediate Court has established a rule, determining that if AI promotional images differ from actual products beyond reasonable photo-editing boundaries and this is not truthfully disclosed, it constitutes consumer fraud. Lawyer Gao Guangtong (高广童) points out that operators bear a duty to review AI-generated promotional content. In the livestreaming sector, the three concepts of “digital person livestreaming,” “AI livestreaming,” and “unmanned livestreaming” are frequently conflated. Industry observers note that only by maintaining real-scene setups, real-time interaction, and truthfully labeling AI content can compliant digital person livestreaming be distinguished from non-compliant looped recordings. Shentong Kuaidi (申通快递)’s “Double Eleven” guarantee scheme for the first time deploys AI as “digital employees” in front-line operations, assisting couriers through “digital doubles” in outbound calling and route planning. Suning Yi Caiyun (苏宁易采云) leverages a digital person matrix and intelligent agent swarms spanning the entire workflow from product selection, price comparison, order fulfillment, to invoicing. Zhuhai saw the country’s first second-hand property transaction led to completion by AI agent Yijuxiaoxin (易居小新), with AI assuming the role of intermediary facilitation without charging transaction commissions, with buyers and sellers sharing concessions.