AI-generated videos are already displacing actors and livestreamers across China's entertainment industry
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AI-generated video is already replacing human performers in China's entertainment industry, including actors and livestreamers. Since ByteDance's Seedance 2.0 launched, digital performers can produce videos faster and cheaper than humans. In Q1 2026, about 128,000 short dramas were published in China, three times the total for all of 2025, and 95% were AI-generated, according to the China Netcasting Services Association. The industry directly employs 690,000 people, while 15 million list livestreaming as their primary job. One minute of AI video now costs $90 to $120, roughly 10% of what production with human actors cost, according to Tsinghua University professor Shen Yang. Some performers are being forced to license their voice and likeness into AI tools before being let go, and AI-related labor disputes have risen in recent years. Newer models such as Seedance 2.5 and Wan 3.0 have further improved AI video quality.
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