Summary of Key Points
The once-panicking public fear of AI face theft has now turned into a craze where many people actively participate in "AI acting": ordinary individuals are vying to audition for roles in AI-produced short dramas, internet celebrities are gaining followers and expanding their influence through AI-based creative contests, and even stars like Wu Qihua and Tang Guoqiang are willing to use digital avatars to extend their artistic careers. Behind this shift is a change in mindset from opposition to active authorization—ordinary people seek engaging experiences, while internet celebrities and stars value traffic and revenue, and the industry is using legal authorization to avoid copyright risks. But is this business truly reliable? How long will the advantage of real human faces last? Issues related to compliance and monetization remain unresolved.
Why Have People Changed from Fear of AI Face Theft to Active Participation?
Ordinary Individuals: They dislike being "used without their knowledge" but are willing to give it a try. Previously, netizens were upset about unauthorized use and malicious portrayals; for example, the face of an ordinary person named "Qi Hai" was stolen to portray a villainous character, leading to negative experiences. However, if a blogger requests authorization, even for a role as a villainous sidekick, people are willing to give it a go—after all, it allows them to fulfill their acting dreams. For instance, netizen "Qing Tian" played the girlfriend of the main character for just one minute, which was highly coveted by others.
Celebrities and Internet Celebrities: Their faces are assets, and AI presents new business opportunities. For internet celebrities, AI-based creative projects are a great way to increase followers; for example, the topic of the creative contest hosted by gaming streamer "Chen Ze-" garnered over 6 billion views, significantly boosting fan engagement. Beauty bloggers like "Xu Shan Sherry" saw an increase in content quality and the ability to monetize through live broadcasts after appearing in AI short dramas. For stars, AI can help them look younger (Wu Qihua used a 20-year-old version of himself in a movie) or extend their careers (Tang Guoqiang believes his digital avatar could be more nuanced than his real self), and some are even willing to accept high licensing fees that they previously refused.
What Is the Use of Real Human Faces in AI Short Dramas?
1. Solving the Problem of Homogenization: Previous AI short dramas featured similar-looking internet celebrity faces, which audiences grew tired of. Using real human faces makes a difference; for example, the face of blogger "EnSerser" was used to create the character "Philosophical Slackster" in "The Heirless Son," which became popular and inspired other similar dramas, helping blogger "A Song's Struggle" gain 1.05 million followers in 30 days.
2. Leveraging the Traffic of Celebrities and Internet Celebrities: AI can create faces that may outshine even those of well-known actors like Liu Yifei, but without the associated traffic. For instance, Neymar's AI short drama "The Road Back to Glory" attracted viewers because of his fame as a football star, and Wu Qihua's 20-year-old version in a movie appealed to fans due to emotional connection.
The Industry Is Becoming More Compliant: Buying Face Licenses Is the Trend
There have been too many cases of face theft, leading to platforms like Seedance2.0 disabling the feature for creating avatars from real faces. Now, people are becoming more cautious:
- Buying Licenses: Prices range from a few dozen yuan for background actors to 1,000 yuan for exclusive rights for 15 years.
- MCNs Building Resource Libraries: Companies like Maiya Media and Shike Culture store the faces of their internet celebrities for mutual use.
- Signing Formal Contracts with Stars: AI directors have obtained licenses from stars like Mak Cheung-ching and Huang Zhixian to produce movies, and Chinese online platforms have used Neymar's image in 16 short dramas.
Is This Business Reliable? Opportunities and Challenges Coexist
Opportunities:
- Fast Traffic Monetization: Chen Ze's creative contest boosted the popularity of many bloggers, and Xu Shan used AI short dramas to attract viewers for live broadcasts.
- Stars Reviving Their Careers: Using a younger version of themselves in movies can attract both old and new fans.
- Avoiding Copyright Risks: Legal authorization is much safer than unauthorized use.
Challenges:
- Will AI Technology Replace Real Humans? Currently, AI characters like "Bai Taizi" perform better than some real actors, and the movements of historical figures like Zhu Yuanzhang are highly realistic, potentially diminishing the value of real human faces.
- Lack of Clear Rules for Revenue Sharing: There are no established rules for how profits should be divided among ordinary participants, internet celebrities, and production companies.
- The "Black Box" of Training Data: AI tools may use unauthorized materials, and even with a license, there is a risk of issues.
Conclusion: The "Real Human Era" of AI Short Dramas Has Just Begun
Everyone is still exploring how to combine real and AI characters effectively, what types of AI dramas work best, and where the boundaries of compliance lie. However, it's clear that by addressing these challenges, using real human faces in AI short dramas could lead to significant success in the AI content industry. After all, audiences appreciate both innovative AI stories and the authenticity and emotional depth provided by real human faces.