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20,000 AI-generated short films reach 500 billion views in China in the first half of 2026
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AI is 'swallowing' Chinese short films. According to CNN, new AI video generation tools are taking over the short film industry at a fraction of the previous cost. This has led to a sharp decline in the number of live-action films produced across China, while simultaneously flooding platforms with AI-generated content. This has led to a sharp decline in the number of live-action films produced across China, while simultaneously flooding platforms with AI-generated content.
A cameraman optimizing the frame for mobile display - Photo: Joyce Jiang
Chinese media reports that over 120,000 short films were released in the first three months of this year, 95% of which were created using AI. This makes the short film industry one of the clearest examples of how China's rapid AI transformation is impacting people's livelihoods—eliminating jobs while creating new ones, leaving everyone uncertain about what the future holds.
This is also the type of technological breakthrough that many creators fear could disrupt the film industry far beyond China. With each episode lasting about 90 seconds, short films first emerged during the pandemic, capitalizing on the popularity of short-video apps like Douyin and Kuaishou while cinemas and film studios were closed.
Each episode is designed for quick consumption on mobile phones, but when stitched together, these segments form storylines that can span the length of a feature film. These short films—often featuring melodramatic or bizarre plots about wicked mothers-in-law, swapped identities, wartime heroes, and star-crossed lovers—subsequently thrived in China and spread to overseas audiences, forming a rapidly growing, multi-billion-dollar industry.
They have also attracted the attention of Chinese censors. New regulations expected to take effect in September will tighten oversight of short films. For instance, plot content will be required to adhere to correct political orientations.
An editor adding subtitles to a short film in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province - Photo: VCG
Last year, the Chinese short film industry was valued at nearly $15 billion, according to market research firm DataEye—nearly double the size of the country's theatrical box office market. The industry's growth ushered in a welcome golden age for young creators amidst high youth unemployment rates in China.
However, the industry quickly became a "pressure cooker" for actors and production crews due to a cutthroat competitive model based on producing as many short films as possible in the hope that one will become a viral phenomenon.
Actors and crew members report that 18-20 hour workdays are common. They must race to keep projects within budget while shooting films with the duration of a feature movie in just about a week.
At the lowest level of the system are extras, who may work long hours for a wage of just 10 yuan ($1.50) per hour. Despite this, the allure of success continues to attract a large number of aspiring actors, directors, and young people in the industry. The prevailing sentiment is: "I could become rich overnight, become a star overnight, and make a lot of money overnight with very low investment."
In the first half of the year alone, there were 220,000 new AI-generated short films on Douyin, reaching a staggering 500 billion views, according to DataEye. Some are animated, but since March, more than half have used AI to simulate real people.
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