Our country's short video industry is moving towards refinement. 95% of the micro-dramas launched in the first quarter were made by AI.

In early 2026, AI short films exploded, with 128,000 micro-short films launched in the first quarter, accounting for a high percentage of 95%. In fact, the seemingly cost-effective and speedy AI short films have many shortcomings. AI digital characters have stiff expressions and cannot interpret the complex emotions of characters layer by layer; the randomness of the image generation process leads to repeated "card drawing" selection of materials, raising costs and resulting in a stiff viewing experience of the finished product. Industry insiders say that AI can only produce standardized templates and cannot convey the depth of human performances. Many short film production companies are shifting their focus to exploring a new model where real human shootings are the main focus with AI assistance: emotional close-ups are delicately captured by real people, while large outdoor scenes are produced by AI, saving nearly 60% of special effects and location costs. Short film platforms are also actively raising their standards, cleaning up clich and low-quality films, and launching support programs for high-quality short films. Any new technology should be used as a "tool" rather than a substitute for "human beings" themselves. AI and real people will not be in a binary opposition, but rather in a cooperative relationship where each can showcase their strengths. By abandoning the assembly line-style fast food content and focusing on high-quality content with details and warmth, we can evoke empathy from the public and become classics that everyone will recommend.