AI-generated videos are already displacing actors and livestreamers across China's entertainment industry

AI tools produced nearly all of the 128,000 short dramas released in China during the first quarter of 2026. This shift has prompted a surge in labor disputes as performers report being terminated after required submissions of their digital likenesses and voices for AI training. The trend signals a structural transformation in the entertainment industry, where synthetic media is increasingly replacing human actors and streamers in high-volume production formats.