AI is already noticeably changing the production of short dramas in China. According to The Decoder citing the Financial Times, 95% out of 128 000 short dramas released in the first quarter of 2026 year were created using AI.
Against this backdrop, some actors, it is reported, are obliged to hand over their voice and appearance to AI tools before being fired. At the same time, the number of AI-related labor disputes is growing rapidly.
For the industry, this means increased pressure on traditional performer roles and new questions about control over a person's voice and likeness. But the available material is only an editorial synopsis, so details of practices and the geography of disputes require further verification.
editorial commentary
Why it matters
Likely consequence — further reassessment of actors' roles and the terms governing the use of their voice and appearance. The nearest observable signal — new data on labor disputes and contracts for the use of performers' likeness. Significant uncertainty stems from the fact that only an independent-source synopsis is available without primary documents.