First ai-authored long drama debuts: iQiyi announces 'not envious of swans, only immortals' with shen yujie and chen heyi

On September 22, 2026, iQiyi announced its first AI-driven long-form series, 'Not Envious of Swans, Only Immortals,' starring Shen Yujie and Chen Heyi. The announcement came as part of the iQiyi Joy Event on September 23, with a pre-release video sparking online debate. The video, which showcased the AI-generated drama, led to a trending hashtag on Weibo, with many viewers expressing unease over the unnatural appearance of the AI actors. The rise of AI short-form content has led to a booming 'face authorization' market, with demand for digital facial assets surging. Data Eye estimates that the AI short-form market reached 22 billion yuan in the first five months of 2026, with an expected annual total of 400 billion yuan. Over 95% of micro-short films released in Q1 2026 featured AI-generated content. On September 2, the National Radio and Television Administration held a meeting on intellectual property and personality rights for AI micro-dramas, emphasizing the need to protect natural persons' rights. iQiyi and 16 other platforms attended. Singer Qi Wei also announced her official digital avatar on August 6, set to star in the AI drama 'End of Summer.'