Short drama company YaoKe Media signs AI actors, sparking backlash over uncanny valley and likeness rights
On March 18, 2026, Chinese short drama company YaoKe Media announced the signing of two AI digital actors, Qin Lingyue and Lin Xiyan, and the production of an AI drama 'Qinling'. The AI actors, which resemble real celebrities like Zhao Jinmai, prompted netizens to call for rights protection on behalf of the real actors. Critics also complained about the 'uncanny valley' effect, with the term 'AI actor fake human feeling' trending on Weibo. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about unauthorized use of facial data in AI training and the potential displacement of human actors.
- Date it happened
- 2026-03-18
- Organisation involved
- 耀客传媒 (YaoKe Media)
- Product, system or model
- 秦凌岳, 林汐颜 (AI actors) and AI drama 《秦岭》
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