Investments in artificial intelligence generative content (AIGC) remain a top priority for some companies in China, despite ongoing concerns regarding copyright and intellectual property rights.
During a seminar discussing the potential of generative AI in the entertainment industry at Hong Kong’s FilMart, Chen Jihong, an equity partner at Zhong Lun law firm, highlighted the legal challenges that have arisen since the introduction of ChatGPT in 2022. One notable case involved a recent ruling in China that recognized an AI-generated image as a copyrightable work. Chen also pointed out the differing approaches to copyright law regarding AI-generated content between China and the U.S.
However, the rapid advancements in technology have also opened up numerous opportunities for companies operating in the entertainment sector, encompassing various areas such as scriptwriting, artist performance, audio-visual effects and special effects, among others. Benefits include lower costs of production and quicker processing times
The China-owned streaming platform iQIYI has made significant investments in AI technologies. Utilizing AI, iQIYI extracts content from novels and books to generate summaries, artwork and scene designs.
In the discussion, iQIYI’s vice-president Zhu Liang said that, with AI capabilities advancing so rapidly, it is hard to predict what challenges lie ahead yet. “One thing for sure is that AI will never be missing in our production. It will influence the whole industry. The way we produce, distribute and the whole ecology. It will influence everything in the industry,” he said.
Companies such as Huace Group have established dedicated departments for AI research aimed at applying advanced technologies. “We have been working hard to train our AI by inputting directions through our database,” Huace Group’s president Fu Binxing said during the discussion. “It’s a big surprise for us to see how fast it is growing.”
As AI technologies continue to advance, concerns regarding job security in creative industries have emerged as one of the prominent topics of discussion.
“You don’t need to panic because it will not replace you in any near-term. Whether our industry will be gone, I don’t think so, but [the technology] is certainly very powerful,” said iQIYI’s Zhu. He added, “It’s become an effective tool for short videos, but for longer films, it cannot do the work right now.”
