5 November 2026 News

Marketing : During this year’s Double Eleven shopping festival, digital humans and AI avatars became the new stars in e-commerce livestreaming rooms. Taobao Li Jiaqi (李佳琦) livestream invited Qianwen Bangong (千问办公) CEO Chen Yusen (陈宇森) to demonstrate AI capabilities on site, with Li Jiaqi asking on the spot whether an AI avatar could be created to chat with fans 24 hours a day, and Chen Yusen responding that “AI cannot replace Li Jiaqi”, after which Qianwen Bangong (千问办公) personal membership monthly cards sold 100,000 units in half an hour, involving approximately 20 trillion tokens. JD.com launched the “Cyber Carnival” livestream evening during 11.11, featuring JoyAI Shuzi Ren (JoyAI数字人) and multiple virtual hosts as commentators, collectively selling tokens and AI hardware, and collaborating with hundreds of AI creators to produce the “Cyber Celebration Night·Surprise Journey Through Time” with “Along the River During the Qingming Festival” as the creative origin, featuring digital humans as protagonists throughout, with viewership exceeding 60 million. The AI marketing creative platform Qing Duo 3.0 (擎舵3.0) introduced by Baidu commercial system has been upgraded to integrate the digital human underlying technology of Baidu, supporting three product lines of digital human livestreaming, digital human video, and real-time interactive digital humans, generating high-quality digital human marketing content for enterprises, with companies such as iFLYTEK and Baiqueling (百雀羚) producing digital human video materials in bulk through this platform. Listed company Shanghai Fengyuzhu Culture Technology Co., Ltd. previously collaborated with Baidu “Wenxin Yi Yan (文心一言)” to apply AI-driven digital human multimodal interaction capabilities to online metaverse space navigation and offline VR/AR digital human interactive scenarios. The AI companion community Zaomengci Yuan (造梦次元) under Shenzhen Xiangfa Liu Keji (深圳想法流科技) jointly created with Shengshu Technology the AI host “Purple Cherry”, leveraging the real-time interactive model Vidu S2 newly released by Shengshu Technology to achieve witty responses, real-time performance changes, and generating 42,000 yuan in revenue within 48 hours in the “Infinite Restart” livestream challenge, becoming a representative example of AI host commercialization; in contrast, standardized digital human livestreaming tools including Guiji DUIX (硅基DUIX) platform under Nanjing Silicon Intelligence Technology Group Co., Ltd., Yandi Da Moxing (炎帝大模型) and Jingdong Yunyanxi (京东云言犀) digital humans, Baidu and others face difficulties of increased revenue without profit growth due to homogeneous competition and stricter regulation, with Alibaba Cloud also officially announcing the complete delisting of its virtual digital human products on the eve of Double Eleven.

Entertainment : Domestic video content platforms are intensively launching AI-native artists and virtual performers. Mangguo TV (芒果TV) unveiled five native AI artists at once and simultaneously launched the AI simulation drama “Ain’t It Amazing, Friends” featuring their performances; Huace Yingshi (华策影视) created the AI idol boy group MO:V and released its first music video; iQIYI officially announced the signing of 11 AIGC creators and launched the first AI acting competition romance variety show “Love.exe Reboot.” Meanwhile, AI virtual stars such as “Fang Taozi” and “Duan Yan” continue to gain popularity—after Fang Taozi went viral with the AI short drama “The Girl Who Got Fired,” she opened a personal social media account and appeared on the cover of Vogue COSMO, with advertising rates at one point exceeding those of real-person influencers with millions of followers; “Duan Yan” became the “first AI boyfriend” through the AI manhua drama “Deep Affection Invades My Remaining Life,” and merchants used AI-synthesized images to falsely market his matching accessories. Controversies sparked by AI short drama female protagonist modeling have been equally prominent: the creator San Qi (叁柒) behind the AI drama “Meeting Tangfang, I Learned Involvement: Stuck by an Obsessive Tycoon” saw its third season come under fire when the female lead Ke Miántáng’s appearance was questioned for resembling the creator themselves, with a post-credits scene embedding a character with suspected creator characteristics; ultimately San Qi issued a public apology and announced the drama would be remade and withdrawn from public operation. Tianyu Digital Technology (Dalian) Group Co., Ltd.’s virtual talent Tianyu starred in the Chinese-style short drama series “Thousand Wall Quest,” which surpassed 400 million views, while Bainaqiancheng (百纳千成) accumulated over 500,000 followers on Kuaishou through the virtual host “Salty Fish Strong.” Actress Wang Gege (王格格) won the annual actress award at the Hengdian micro short drama awards ceremony, responding to AI’s impact with concepts such as “flaw sovereignty” and “in-situ exploitation,” affirming the irreplaceable space of human performance. QuestMobile data shows Hongguo Duanju (红果短剧) user scale has surpassed Doubao, with industry observers noting that AI script generation and digital human performances are restructuring short drama production efficiency. The virtual digital human sector, which once prominently deployed in the metaverse early on, has been pointed out in an article titled “The Death of Digital Humans” to have experienced cliff-like drops in financing due to the rise of large language models, with virtual humans downgraded from entry point to subsidiary product. At the launch of an AI micro short drama about Qin Qiong produced jointly by Jinan (济南) and Taiwan titled “Please Ascend to the Lingyan Pavilion,” the creative team unveiled the AI digital Qin Qiong image and demonstrated its full process from sketch to digital character formation. After singer Tan Jianci (檀健次)’s new song “Drop” and its “wolf claw dance” went viral, multiple brand virtual images simultaneously began performing the choreography. In the discourse surrounding micro short drama creation, some argue for supporting real-person micro short dramas, contending that AI-generated virtual images struggle to present the “tangible” authentic performance details. Domestic virtual idol host “KONG Control,” after prolonged high-intensity streaming with nearly 33 days without rest and facing cyberbullying and union pressure, posted on Weibo admitting “I’m really tired,” sparking fan concerns over her withdrawal from the internet.

Cultural : AI digital humans are becoming the core carrier for content innovation in cultural and tourism projects across multiple regions. Nanning (南宁) Constructing demonstration scenarios of the “AI+cultural tourism” industry chain centered on Guangxi Shanhai Jituan (广西山海集团) “AI+micro short dramas” and Menghuan Lingjing (梦幻灵境) “AI+performing arts,” supporting Sanjie Liangxiang Renmin Juyuan (三街两巷人民剧院) actors and digital human performances to be staged together by leveraging AI technology, and creating Nanning (南宁) cultural tourism AI digital human recommenders to participate in secondary creation of short videos. Hangzhou Yuhang Wuchang Jiedao (杭州余杭五常街道) In study tour activities targeting Xinjiang (新疆) youth, introducing the “Chang Xiaomei” AI digital human to participate in interactive lectures, transforming Alibaba Qianwen Da Moxing (千问大模型) and other content into science popularization courses easily understood by adolescents. Alibaba (阿里巴巴) At the Dakaer (达喀尔) Youth Olympic Games making their first landing on the African continent, creating the “Alibaba Teranga Beat” interactive installation, leveraging Qianwen Da Moxing (千问大模型) to generate videos of digital avatars for participants dressed in Senegalese traditional attire dancing to Sabar drum rhythms, and jointly producing with Alibaba Cloud a hundred-person digital crowd short film for the opening ceremony based on Wan 3.0 models, achieving high-precision synthesis of facial features and stage lighting effects for approximately 100 global youth participants. At the 2026 World Internet Conference – Wuzhen Summit Wuzhen Summit, Qunhe Keji (群核科技) the World Model booth allows visitors to select a scene and press the capture button to generate a 3D digital avatar AI film with themselves as the protagonist, with its co-founder Huang Xiaohuang (黄晓煌) viewing this as an embodiment of “mass-producing wisdom”; in another report, a journalist Gao Bingyuan (高炳远) experienced the 6G technology exhibition together with their digital avatar “Xiaoyuan.” Beijing’s “Zhongshan Pioneering·Unbroken Gold—Sun Zhongshan (孙中山) and Taiwan Archives and Historical Materials Exhibition” integrates multimedia forms including digital humans to present Sun Zhongshan historical footprints in Beijing. Xinjiang (新疆) In the “Silk Road Science Popularization Nourishing Frontier” science show tour, digital human Chang’e performed alongside robots and actors in staging science content on space exploration and lunar probes as well as cultural relic restoration. Aomen Chuangyi Guan (澳门创意馆) Making their debut at the Yangtze River Delta International Cultural Industries Expo, Feng Dianzi 2LIVE STUDIO (蜂电子2LIVE STUDIO) displaying virtual broadcasters “Bailu Zai,” “Xuetao MOMO,” and “Bai Shifu” created by Macau’s first virtual streaming studio and its CVILIS mobile virtual human system.

Enterprise : Domestic enterprises are embedding digital humans into core processes in office work, customer service, and financial services. China CITIC Bank first proposed an “one foundation, eight entities” intelligent agent work framework in its third-quarter report, constructing eight categories of AI assistants including marketing advisors and digital secretaries around a knowledge base foundation, and exploring a collaborative work mode of “1 human customer manager + N digital avatars” in retail business, with the mobile banking intelligent “Xiaoxin” achieving a 99.07% problem resolution rate. Zhongguodianxin Shandong Fengongsi (中国电信山东分公司) leverages the Shandong branch center of the National Engineering Center for Cloud-Network Infrastructure Security to independently develop Lingji (灵机), Fenghuotai (烽火台), Lingdong (灵动), e An Zaixian (e安在线) four major secure digital humans, with monthly token consumption exceeding 70 billion. NuwaAI platform under Nuwaai in Shenzhen launched an “AI Digital IP Co-creation Plan” with Yi Dingdong Keji (艺叮咚科技) on China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industry Fair, showcasing a digital IP variety show featuring original AI digital host Huang Douju and the “Longgang Digital IP Dream Team” including Ganheng Libai and Dafeng Mengsha performing interactively on stage, and providing CVILIS mobile virtual human systems and virtual anchor OMO live-streaming solutions to external parties. JD.com and Mengniu (蒙牛), building on a decade-long strategic cooperation foundation, are exploring further collaboration in cloud computing, AI large models, integrated membership, intelligent customer service, and digital humans. A-share company Xinhua Dou (新华都) disclosed in investor relations activities that its “Maidian Shuzi Ren (麦点数字人)” product built on e-commerce scenarios has been deployed in live-streaming, marketing, customer service, and logistics business processes, undertaking standardized work to reduce the company’s management expense ratio.

Healthcare : In the digitalization of the silver economy, digital humans are becoming an important touchpoint for home-based elderly care services. Pingan Jiankang (平安健康) has launched AI family doctor, digital avatar, and elderly care management products, connecting insurance benefits with home-based elderly care services, with operations covering 140 cities nationwide; Huanqiu Qingniao (环球青鸟) has established a smart medical, health, and elderly care service platform that connects 5,410 elderly care institutions, supporting community-embedded operations of over 73,000 family elderly care beds, with reports indicating that intelligent health management agents are serving as dispatching hubs linking the four-level service network of hospitals, communities, elderly care institutions, and households.

Industry : Capital and industry chains are accelerating their layout around virtual human technology. SemiGraph, a 3D virtual human R&D provider focused on “3D intelligent interaction + extreme aesthetics,” recently completed financing exceeding ten million dollars, led by institutions including Lianxiang Chuangtou (联想创投) with IDG Ziben (IDG资本) continuing to increase investment, with funds directed toward human behavior model development and AI-native 3D interactive scenario productization; its self-developed 3D animation large model covers three-dimensional spatial expression and animation temporal dynamics, having launched the virtual idol interactive nurturing product Daihao live (代号live) targeting global secondary animation users. Dawa Keji (达瓦科技) in Chongqing completed Pre-A and Series A financing sequentially within the year, accumulating nearly 500 million yuan, focusing on AI video generation and real-time interaction, with its “digital human real-time driving system based on multimodal motion capture” invention patent already granted, integrating infrared optical, inertial measurement, and visual sensor data to generate digital human skeletal poses. COL Group Co., Ltd. signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Shanghai Hefu Rengongzhineng Keji Jituan (上海荷福人工智能科技集团), with both parties integrating COL Group Co., Ltd.’s “Xiaoyao AI (逍遥AI)” and Hefu Group’s technology in virtual digital humans and multimodal generation, jointly developing AI content production specialized skill packages targeting short drama and animation scenarios, and exploring commercial transformation of AI short dramas, virtual idols, and interactive film-and-game products, while expanding localized operations in Southeast Asian markets. Zhixiaoke (智小科), a digital human live streaming system provider for merchants, was created by Cheng Nuokexun Da (晟诺科讯达), offering 4K high-fidelity image and voice cloning, OEM white-label authorization, and agency revenue-sharing business models, recognized by industry evaluation as possessing advantages in cloning efficiency and cost transparency.

Automotive : Qirui Qiche (奇瑞汽车) A patent application for “vehicle interaction method, apparatus and vehicle” reveals that the technology acquires vehicle environmental state data to determine risk types and regions, then controls the vehicle display device to present a virtual image that performs protective actions matching the risk type in the corresponding display area, thereby reducing driver cognitive load and reaction time while improving risk protection effectiveness and user experience.

Ethical Contexts : The abuse of AI digital human technology has also drawn regulatory attention. Nan Dou (南都) An investigation and review found that on short-video platforms, numerous AI-synthesized “tragic boy” digital human accounts named “Xiaohái” share the same teenage face, using fabricated scenarios such as single parenthood and school bullying to induce sympathy and purchases from middle-aged and elderly users, with some septuagenarians even traveling alone by train to visit this non-existent “Xiaohái”; merchants selling wigs and addressing mother-in-law conflicts have also mass-produced AI digital human short videos to mislead elderly consumers. Meanwhile, numerous AI shop-exploration videos have been exposed as batch-generated, with stores like “Qiben De Dian (崎本的店)” lured by AI-generated dessert images despite having no corresponding products in their actual shops; some technology companies offer AI shop-exploration video production services as low as 30 yuan per month. Wulanhaoteshi Xiaofeizhe Quanyi Baohu Zhongxin (乌兰浩特市消费者权益保护中心) and consumer associations in Guangdong and other regions have released consumption alerts, reminding consumers to be vigilant against new consumption traps including AI deepfake impersonation of celebrities for product promotion, AI digital humans fabricating tragic personas for sales, and AI virtual “experts” in live streams claiming food has therapeutic effects, emphasizing that AI virtual persons are not a “shield” against false advertising, with Beijing already investigating and penalizing the first typical case of AI virtual person live-streaming product promotion involving false claims. Xinkuaibao (新快报) In the compilation of “Double Eleven consumption trap new tactics,” it also mentioned AI customer service exhibiting “unfulfilled commitments and difficulties in accessing human service” as new post-sale hotspots, as well as issues such as AI forging celebrity recommendations, AI model images paired with AI-generated “positive reviews with photos” in comment sections misleading consumers.