Deepfake Avatars: The Future of E-commerce Livestreaming in China

Livestreaming has revolutionized the marketing landscape in China, with influencers selling billions of dollars’ worth of goods in a single night. To address the high costs of training and retaining livestream hosts, Chinese startups and tech companies are now offering deepfake avatars for e-commerce livestreaming.

These AI-generated clones can work 24/7, mimicking human streamers at a fraction of the cost. This emerging trend is reshaping the influencer economy and raising questions about transparency and regulation in the industry.

Deepfake Avatars: The Future of E-commerce Livestreaming in China

Livestreaming has become the dominant marketing channel for brands in China, with influencers on platforms like Taobao and Douyin brokering massive deals and selling billions of dollars’ worth of goods in a single night. However, the cost of training and retaining livestream hosts can be significant for smaller brands.

To address this, Chinese startups and tech companies have started offering the service of creating deepfake avatars for e-commerce livestreaming. With just a few minutes of sample video and a cost of around £750, brands can clone a human streamer to work 24/7.

These AI-generated clones have become increasingly popular, as the technology to create realistic avatars, voices, and movements has become more sophisticated and affordable.

The Rise of AI-Generated Livestreaming: Revolutionizing the Marketing Landscape in China

The rise of AI-generated livestreaming is revolutionizing the marketing landscape in China.

With the introduction of deepfake avatars, brands no longer need to rely solely on human influencers to promote their products. Chinese startups and tech companies, such as Silicon Intelligence and Xiaoice, are utilizing natural-language processing and text-to-speech technologies to create digital clones that closely resemble humans.

These AI streamers are trained on common scripts and gestures seen in e-commerce videos, enabling them to speak and act like real people. While they may not surpass top influencers in terms of popularity, AI-generated streamers are more than capable of replacing mid-tier ones, resulting in a decrease in livestream host salaries across the country.

Challenges and Opportunities: Exploring the Impact of AI-Generated Streamers on China’s Influencer Economy

The rise of AI-generated streamers in China’s influencer economy presents both challenges and opportunities. On one hand, the introduction of deepfake avatars has disrupted the traditional model of relying solely on human influencers for brand promotion. This has led to a decrease in salaries for mid-tier livestream hosts, as brands opt for cost-effective AI streamers. However, this shift also opens up new opportunities for smaller brands with limited resources to enter the livestreaming market. By leveraging AI-generated streamers, these brands can now compete on a more level playing field and reach a wider audience. Additionally, the development of emotional intelligence in AI streamers could further enhance their ability to engage with viewers and provide personalized marketing experiences. As the industry continues to evolve, it remains to be seen how the influencer economy in China will adapt to these changes.