Anhui TV airs first AI‑generated drama series “Taohuatan Ji”

Anhui Satellite Television (Anhui TV) has become the first Chinese satellite channel to broadcast an entirely AI‑produced drama series, titled “Taohuatan Ji”. The series consists of 20 micro‑episodes of about ten minutes each and was aired in the evening prime‑time slot. Production was fully generated by artificial intelligence, with the credits clearly marking an “AIGC director”.

The programme, set against the background of traditional paper‑making in Anhui’s Jing County, has drawn mixed reactions. Viewers have praised the experiment for bringing a cultural heritage theme to a new medium, while others have criticized the artificial characters’ stiff movements, facial expressions and occasional technical glitches. The broadcast follows new guidelines from China’s National Radio and Television Administration that classify AI micro‑dramas by investment size and subject matter, with “key micro‑dramas” subject to stricter oversight. The venture reflects a broader move in the Chinese media industry toward AI‑assisted content creation.