China AI-generated science fiction film flops at box office

The science fiction film “Sanxingdui: Future Past,” marketed as China’s first AI-generated feature film, has failed to attract significant audiences. Since its release on October 23, the 100-minute production has earned approximately 1.7 million Yuan, or about 230,000 Euros.

While a human team made the creative decisions, the film’s visuals and portions of its audio were generated using artificial intelligence. Viewers criticized the film in online reviews, citing stiff facial expressions, inconsistent movements, and a confusing plot. Some audience members specifically noted visual inconsistencies, such as faces appearing unnaturally smooth in some scenes and rougher in others.

Despite being promoted by the state news agency Xinhua as a technical advancement that could bring ancient Chinese culture to life, the film has not resonated with the general public. Producers told Beijing News that they did not expect high earnings, noting that the project was intended as an experiment to explore new filmmaking possibilities. The production took two and a half years, though creators noted that AI technology is evolving faster than the film production cycle, meaning the technology shown on screen is already several months out of date.