Zhang Yimou on AI Shaking Up Film: AI Short Videos Now Worth Billions

At the 39th Golden Rooster Awards event in Xiamen, director Zhang Yimou shared his views on AI's impact on the film industry. He pointed out that AI short videos are now worth tens of billions of yuan, pulling huge audiences away from traditional movie theaters. Zhang admitted that he doesn't know what to do when AI fully surpasses humans in five or ten years. He advised young directors to keep learning and tell the stories closest to their hearts, saying this may be the only thing creators can do. Meanwhile, China's broadcasting regulator made its stance clear: support real-person micro dramas and regulate AI-made ones. AI is reshaping the entire micro drama industry, from scriptwriting to overseas distribution.