Entertainment industry faces downturn amid rise of AI celebrities

The entertainment industries in Taiwan and China are facing a significant downturn, characterized by a decline in production and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence. In Taiwan, actor Yi Zheng noted a “winter” in the film and television sector, observing that annual production of series has dropped from four or five per year to only one or two. He reported that even after being selected for roles, projects often stall due to insufficient funding.

Simultaneously, China is seeing a massive influx of AI-generated content. In the first eight months of the year, AI-driven content accounted for over 90% of the 430,000 micro-short dramas released nationwide. This technological shift is enabling the mass production of “AI celebrities,” including virtual actors, influencers, and singers. These AI entities are being managed through sophisticated IP operations, mimicking the commercial lifecycles of human stars by maintaining social media presences and securing brand endorsements. While some actors struggle with unemployment, the emergence of AI-driven idols and digital clones is fundamentally altering the traditional mechanisms of stardom and content creation.