Chinese Users Authorize AI Likeness, Rarely Get Paid: what are the key facts?

Southern Metropolis Daily reported that users on multiple facial licensing platforms say they have not received usage payments.

Chinese Users Authorize AI Likeness, Rarely Get Paid: what are the key facts?

In the first eight months of 2026, China released 430,000 ultra-short dramas, over 90% of which were AI-generated.

Chinese Users Authorize AI Likeness, Rarely Get Paid: what are the key facts?

Platform registration requires real-name verification, uploading photos, and setting a per-use price.

Chinese Users Authorize AI Likeness, Rarely Get Paid: what are the key facts?

Ordinary users earn about 100 yuan per short-video likeness use, while professional actors can earn up to 10,000 yuan.

Chinese Users Authorize AI Likeness, Rarely Get Paid: what are the key facts?

Platforms take about a 30% cut from licensing transactions.

Physix Frontier · News Briefing Card (enbrief · Oct 16, 2026)

Chinese Users Authorize AI Likeness, Rarely Get Paid

KEY FACTS

Southern Metropolis Daily reported that users on multiple facial licensing platforms say they have not received usage payments.
In the first eight months of 2026, China released 430,000 ultra-short dramas, over 90% of which were AI-generated.
Platform registration requires real-name verification, uploading photos, and setting a per-use price.
Ordinary users earn about 100 yuan per short-video likeness use, while professional actors can earn up to 10,000 yuan.
Platforms take about a 30% cut from licensing transactions.

KEY DATA

430,000Ultra-short dramas in first 8 months of 2026

Over 90%Share of AI-generated ultra-short dramas

About 100 yuanEarnings per video for ordinary users

About 30%Platform commission rate

PHYSIX OBSERVATION

Facial licensing platforms package "selling your face" as a low-barrier side hustle, but actual demand is concentrated among celebrities and influencers, and ordinary people can barely get any orders. Platforms profit from commissions and traffic, while users stake irreversible biometric data. This business currently looks more like a data collection funnel than a stable income source, and both regulation and pricing mechanisms have yet to catch up.

Source: enbrief original report ↗