China To Put “Real Money” Into Supporting Live-Action Dramas As AI Takes Over Industry

Looks like human actors in China are getting some much-needed support amid the AI boom.

China’s National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) has announced that it will put “real money” into supporting live-action productions, as AI-generated dramas continue to flood the market.

And when we say flood, we mean flood.

According to Wang Xiaoliang, director of the NRTA’s Department of Online Audio-Visual Programme Management, a whopping 430,000 micro-dramas were released in China in the first eight months of this year.

That’s around 13 times the number released in the whole of last year.

Even more staggering? More than 90 per cent of them were AI-generated dramas.

If you’ve been following the rise of AI in China’s entertainment industry, that probably won’t come as much of a surprise.

AI-generated dramas have exploded in popularity thanks to how quickly and cheaply they can be produced.

But the boom has also taken a toll on real-life actors.

Some have seen their pay plummet, while others have struggled to find acting jobs altogether.

Actors have also resorted to licensing their faces to AI production companies, with offers reportedly going for as little as 100 yuan (S$19).

Now, it seems the authorities want to give live-action productions a boost.

“Our position is very clear: Live-action dramas are the main force behind quality productions and should receive strong support,” said Xiaoliang at a press conference earlier this week.

He added that the NRTA will continue its programme supporting quality micro-dramas and guide platforms to create dedicated sections for live-action productions.

More importantly, it plans to “put real money into supporting them”, so that good productions can find an audience and generate returns.

At the same time, regulations surrounding AI-generated dramas are being tightened.

AI-generated micro-dramas are required to carry labels identifying them as such, while platforms have been told to ensure that the use of people’s likenesses and voices is properly authorised.

Under new rules that took effect on Sep 1, AI-generated micro-dramas must also display a notice in a prominent position in every episode.

The authorities have also been cracking down on problematic content.

So far this year, 68,000 micro-dramas have been removed for violations involving harmful or vulgar content, copyright infringement, piracy and other issues.

Platforms were also instructed to take action against more than 1,200 offending accounts. More than 90 per cent of the content involved was AI-generated.

The move to support live-action productions has divided netizens.

Some welcomed it, saying human actors still have the edge when it comes to emotional expression and authenticity.

“Actors, producers and directors who seriously put effort into making dramas need to be recognised and encouraged,” wrote one netizen.

Others, however, questioned whether giving live-action productions more support was the answer.

“Why are so many people willing to watch AI dramas now, and even getting more and more hooked on them?” asked one, suggesting that the traditional entertainment industry should perhaps consider why viewers are turning to AI content in the first place.

Another felt the money would be better spent “raising ordinary people's salaries”.

While Xiaoliang acknowledged that AI has opened up new possibilities for creators while cutting costs and improving efficiency, he stressed that it has also created challenges involving content quality and the protection of rights.

His bottom line?

“AI is a tool; people are the creators.”

Guess humans aren't being written out of the script just yet.

Photos: 楼上楼下, 被裁掉的女孩