Summary of Key Points
AI technology is driving the development of interactive content as a new area of investment for various platforms, including long-video platforms, major gaming companies, AI firms, and short-video platforms. This type of interactive content goes beyond traditional passive viewing; it allows users to make choices and create content, potentially leading to thousands of different outcomes for the same story. However, the industry is still in its early stages, with mixed performance in terms of data. Yet, the fear of missing out on the next trend makes everyone eager to participate: platforms fear being disrupted by new formats, while entertainment professionals worry about their traditional businesses shrinking and losing revenue.
Who Is Competing for the AI-Interactive Content Market?
Players from different backgrounds are entering the market with their own strategies, creating a complex ecosystem:
- Long-video Platforms (iQiyi): They have upgraded their interactive content by launching “IVP Interactive Videos,” featuring personalized experiences and gamified viewing. Previously, interactive dramas could only have a limited number of endings, but now AI can generate different outcomes in real-time, theoretically allowing each viewer to experience a unique story.
- Major Gaming Companies (Netflix, Tencent Photon): Netflix has integrated interactive content into its gaming section and plans to release 25 IP games by the end of the year. Tencent Photon’s “Creative Workshop” acts as a marketplace for interactive games, providing both users with interactive stories and creators with AI tools to quickly produce such content.
- AI Model Companies (Metaverse Technology): They have developed the “Castloop Platform,” which allows creators to input a single idea, and AI generates interactive games with branching narratives, characters, and videos, significantly lowering the barriers to entry for creators.
- Short-video Platforms (TikTok, Bilibili, etc.): Platforms like TikTok have introduced features like the “Interactive Space Square,” where users can create interactive content using AI tools, similar to games like “Jump” or MBTI tests. Bilibili, REDnote, and Kuaishou are also following suit, fearing that new platforms that combine video with playability could attract their users.
How Does AI-Interactive Content Differ from Traditional Interactive Dramas?
Traditional interactive dramas were merely superficially interactive—for example, “Black Mirror: Pandoras Box” offered a few fixed options and had a predefined ending. In contrast, current AI-based interactive content offers true interactivity:
- Personalized Experiences: AI can generate scripts and visuals in real-time based on user choices, potentially resulting in thousands of different outcomes for the same story.
- User Creativity: Anyone with basic skills can create interactive content using AI tools; for example, on TikTok, users can participate in projects like “Chongzhen Direct Hire” and even create their own similar content.
- Blurring Boundaries: The lines between video and gaming are blurring; the content serves both as a visual experience and an interactive game, providing a more immersive experience.
Why Is Everyone So Eager to Get Involved?
The industry is still unproven, but everyone fears falling behind:
- Platform Concerns: Netflix once removed all its interactive programs due to lack of success but brought them back into gaming to capitalize on AI’s potential. Platforms like TikTok and Bilibili fear the emergence of new platforms that could attract users.
- Entertainment Professionals’ Concerns: Traditional long-form content is facing reduced demand, budget cuts, and audience loss, so they need to explore new opportunities. For instance, Wannian Film Industry has already produced an AI-driven interactive drama, “Guishè,” as a trial for future projects.
Is This New Market Really Promising?
For now, the industry is still in its conceptual phase:
- Lack of Engagement: TikTok’s “Interactive Space Square” has been used fewer than ten thousand times, and only a few popular videos have received significant views, indicating that users have not yet embraced this format.
- Uncertainty about the Future: It’s unclear whether AI technology can truly achieve personalized experiences or whether users will be willing to spend time on interactive content.
- The Need for Trial: Platforms and professionals must take risks; they cannot afford to miss out on the potential benefits of AI. Even if the path ahead is uncertain, everyone is trying to get a foothold by using AI tools to create interactive content.
Conclusion
AI-interactive content is not a myth that will instantly disrupt the entertainment industry, but it’s also not a useless gimmick. For ordinary users, the future may bring more engaging video experiences. For professionals, embracing AI tools to create interactive content is the best way to adapt to changing trends. In the face of technological advancements, staying out is riskier than making mistakes.