In China, artificial intelligence is shaking up the film and series industry. No need to go in front of a camera to appear on screen. AI creates ultra-realistic faces and actors rent their appearance to producers... Some even discover their faces in films in which they have never played.
At 26, Li Xinzhi is a regular on the catwalk. The influential model with 300,000 subscribers returns from Paris and Milan Fashion Weeks. However, becoming an actress was not part of her plans.
“Two of my subscribers wrote to me in March to tell me that they had recognized me in a mini-series called The Peach Blossom Pin on the Hongguo platform. They told me that the character looked a lot like me… And it’s true! They stole my face! The producers took my photos identically,” she denounces.
“They used my face for violent scenes”
On his phone, Xinzhi reveals himself in period costume, in Imperial China. Even her mole above her lip has been reproduced. In episodes of one to three minutes, generated by AI, she plays a cruel trader. “They used my face for violent scenes: I was slapped, my hair was pulled. My character also mistreats animals. I was afraid that Internet users would confuse me with her, that they would think that I was really like that,” says the influencer.
Xinzhi files a complaint. The mini-series, with 40 million views, is withdrawn. The judgment is expected in January. “I received insults from producers who work in AI. But I am happy to have stood my ground. Under pressure from public opinion, the platforms have tightened controls,” she explains.
Deserted film sets
Hengdian is the capital of Chinese cinema. There is a life-size replica of the Forbidden City, settings from Hong Kong and Shanghai. However, over the past year, the film sets have been empty. We come across Li Long, her hair tied up in a bun, rehearsing her role. “Before, I spent more than 20 days a month on a film set, but since the arrival of AI, I work half as much. It’s not just the actors who are affected: the costume designers, the makeup artists, the cameramen and the directors too,” he says.
Everything now happens on a computer, like here in the production company Ju Bao Huyu. The AI brings romantic stories to life: a humiliated heiress, a fallen pharaoh. Yi Hui, one of the managers, explains: “Just last year, we only filmed with real actors. Today, AI represents more than 90% of our production. And it costs ten times less!”
“For the same scenario, it takes us a month of filming with actors, compared to only a week with AI.”
Yi Hui, head of production company Ju Bao Huyu
An editor from the production company explains how castings take place in the age of AI. "I start by searching the Internet for faces that resemble those in the scenario. I import the photo into ChatGPT. And I give it my instructions, for example 'Refine the features to make the character more realistic'... And ChatGPT automatically generates the portraits."
The production company finalizes 50 mini-series per month for China and abroad. She has also already used a face without authorization, admits Yi Hui. “One of our series had to be withdrawn, everything had to be modified. Now, our production team is screening all the characters to ensure that there is no violation of image rights. It will not happen again,” she assures.
Actors praise their faces
To avoid lawsuits, producers found a solution: buy the right to use real faces. In China, actors now rent their image for a few dozen euros. Even stars are getting into it. However, in Hengdian, the actors are not convinced. “Renting my face for 30 or 40 euros, what's the point? I'm not against the principle, but it's too poorly paid. And then, I worry about not knowing what the producers are going to do with my image,” admits an extra.
“It’s shooting yourself in the foot, isn’t it? Now, with AI, all emperors look the same. Real actors have their imperfections. And it’s precisely this authenticity that the public appreciates,” defends one actor. The revolution is such that Beijing last month promised aid to preserve filming with real actors.
