China’s Netflix iQIYI Goes All-In on AI-Powered Content

iQiyi, often referred to as China’s Netflix, has announced an accelerated shift toward artificial intelligence-generated content, aiming for AI to produce the majority of its shows within five years. The strategic pivot, confirmed by company leadership and detailed in recent corporate updates, reflects a broader industry trend where Chinese streaming platforms are investing heavily in generative AI to reduce production costs and accelerate content output in a highly competitive market.

Gong Yu, founder and CEO of iQiyi, outlined the vision during a recent investor briefing, stating that AI will not only assist in scripting and editing but will eventually generate entire episodes with minimal human intervention. According to reports from Yahoo Finance and The Business Times, the company plans to integrate AI across its content pipeline, from concept development to final rendering, leveraging proprietary video models trained on its extensive library of dramas and variety shows.

This move builds on earlier initiatives, including the revamp of iQiyi’s app and website to prioritize AI-driven recommendations and synthetic media formats, as reported by Tech in Asia. The platform has also begun testing AI agents like “Nadou Pro” at events such as the Busan International Film Festival, where it showcased AI-assisted film curation and interactive viewing experiences. These efforts signal a transition from experimental AI use to systemic integration into core operations.

Industry analysts note that iQiyi’s push aligns with similar strategies at other major Chinese tech firms, including Baidu-backed content initiatives and Tencent’s experimentation with AI in animation and gaming. However, iQiyi’s public commitment to having AI create the “bulk of shows” within a five-year window represents one of the most aggressive timelines yet disclosed by a major streaming service in Asia.

The shift raises questions about creative labor and intellectual property, particularly following recent claims reported by MyDramaList News involving actors Chen Zhe Yuan, Ryan Cheng, and Wang Chu Ran, who were reportedly swept up in disputes over AI authorization agreements. While iQiyi has not publicly detailed its policies on AI training data or talent compensation, the incidents highlight growing concerns among performers about the use of their likenesses and performances in training generative models without explicit consent.

Despite these challenges, iQiyi maintains that AI will augment rather than replace human creativity in the near term, emphasizing tools that assist writers with dialogue suggestions or help directors visualize scenes through AI-generated storyboards. The company has not disclosed specific timelines for full automation but reiterated its goal of reducing average production cycles by up to 40% through AI integration.

As of April 2026, iQiyi continues to expand its AI content division, hiring specialists in machine learning and video synthesis while partnering with research institutions on next-generation generative models. Whether the five-year target proves feasible remains to be seen, but the company’s current trajectory marks a significant inflection point in how major entertainment platforms in China are reimagining content creation in the age of artificial intelligence.