China tightens oversight of AI micro-dramas — South China Morning Post
In China, the broadcasting regulator has called for support for micro-dramas featuring live actors and for tighter control over content created using artificial intelligence. As the South China Morning Post reports, authorities seek to steer the rapid growth of the short-series industry toward higher quality and copyright protection.
According to Wang Xiaoliang, a representative of the National Radio and Television Administration, about 430,000 micro-dramas were released in China in the first eight months of 2026 — 13 times more than in the entire previous year. More than 90% of new releases were AI dramas. Such series usually consist of dozens of short episodes adapted for viewing on smartphones, often in a vertical format.
New requirements for platforms
The rules for the development and management of micro-dramas, which took effect on September 1, require clear labeling of every episode of AI-generated projects. The document also requires respect for original works, copyright protection, and compliance with the principles of fair competition.
Platforms must regularly review recommendation algorithms, models, and data, give preference to high-quality micro-dramas, and not recommend content that encourages excessive consumption. The regulator also intends to promote the distribution of quality projects, the creation of separate sections for series featuring live actors, and their financial support.
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Since the beginning of the year, Chinese regulators have removed 68,000 micro-dramas that violated the rules and instructed platforms to take action against more than 1,200 accounts. According to Wang, more than 90% of problematic content consisted of AI dramas. The oversight campaign launched in June targeted, among other things, pirated and child-harmful content, sexualized scenes, displays of luxury, violence, sensational headlines, and copyright violations.
Quality and employment issues
AI is already being used at all stages of production, from adapting plots and writing scripts to creating characters, scenes, and post-production. This reduces costs and technical barriers, but at the same time contributes to the mass release of projects with similar formulas. According to the China Netcasting Services Association, more than 275,000 AI micro-dramas were published online in the first half of 2026 — an average of about 1,500 per day.
Data from DataEye show that only 0.48% of new AI micro-dramas on the Douyin platform exceeded 100 million views in the first half of the year. Writer and director Lydia Chen said that the pursuit of hits has made copying successful plots common practice, including when adapting series for overseas audiences.
The rapid spread of AI has also affected industry workers: according to the publication, some actors are having difficulty finding roles. Shiliu, a director of AI micro-dramas, said his team was expected to produce five series a month, each with 50–70 episodes, and that he worked 14–16 hours a day because of staff cuts. He eventually left the industry due to the workload.
