AI technology disrupts China’s ultrashort-drama production industry

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence is transforming China’s massive ultrashort-drama industry, leading to significant workforce reductions. This sector, which produces vertical, smartphone-optimized videos often lasting only one to two minutes, has become a multi-billion dollar business with hundreds of millions of users.

Production hubs like Zhengzhou and Hoành Điếm are seeing a shift as AI tools replace human labor. Companies such as Zhoutu Culture have reported drastic drops in output and staff numbers as AI studios take over physical production spaces. In some cases, production volume remains high even as human employees are laid off, because AI can generate content at a fraction of the traditional cost and time.

Industry data indicates that a vast majority of the approximately 120,000 short films released in the first quarter of this year were created using AI. This technological shift is causing professional instability for actors and crew members, many of whom face dwindling opportunities as automated processes become the new standard for high-speed content delivery.