China’s rapid artificial intelligence expansion is creating a new source of income for actors, models and ordinary people by allowing them to license their faces for AI-generated videos.
According to Rest of World, several platforms now pay between $15 and $700 for the right to use a person’s likeness in AI productions.
Producers can browse catalogs featuring faces grouped by age, gender and appearance before selecting suitable options for different genres.
The growing demand is driven largely by China’s booming microdrama industry, which produces short, smartphone-focused video series.
China released about 128,000 microdramas during the first quarter of 2026.
Reports indicate that more than 95 percent of those productions used artificial intelligence during some stage of development.
Shenzhen-based platform ActID, launched in March, has registered around 800 users.
Approximately 300 participants have agreed to license their likenesses for AI-generated productions.
According to the company, two AI dramas have already licensed around 10 faces for fees ranging from $15 to $74 per episode.
ActID retains a 10 percent commission from each transaction.
Meanwhile, Chengdu-based New Claw has also entered the face-licensing market after AI disrupted its traditional production business.
The company introduced a minimum price of $74 per image to discourage price competition among users.
However, unauthorized use of facial likenesses remains a growing concern across China’s AI industry.
Two influencers recently accused ByteDance’s Hongguo platform of using their faces without permission in an AI drama.
ByteDance said it removed more than 85,000 videos involving unauthorized AI recreations of faces or voices since early 2026.
Meanwhile, Chinese courts have handled hundreds of AI-related face misuse cases, reflecting growing legal scrutiny of digital identity and consent.
