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China’s first AI-generated film is a flop. Some still see it as the future of cinema
China’s first fully AI-generated film, *Sanxingdui: Future Past*, has performed poorly at the box office, earning 1.7 million yuan despite reportedly costing tens of millions to make. Its confusing plot and awkward AI-generated scenes drew criticism, though a reviewer found it better than expected; the result raises questions about whether AI can make cinema audiences pay for a distinctive experience.
The film’s visuals and some sound effects were made with AI, while humans edited it. Industry workers say Chinese investors remain keen on AI projects because they could require far fewer staff and cost less to produce. China’s AI microdrama industry, built around short phone-viewing episodes, is already estimated to be worth $3bn, though some viewers may prefer free mobile content to a 50-yuan cinema ticket.
In short
- China’s first fully AI-generated film earned just 1.7 million yuan.
- Investors still see AI cinema as a low-cost opportunity.
- The country’s AI microdrama industry is estimated at $3bn.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
AI could make filmmaking cheaper and less dependent on large crews, giving investors room to support more experiments and creators a chance to realise projects that would otherwise be unaffordable. The film’s poor reception may reflect its confusing story and immature production, rather than a limit on what the technology can achieve; the success of AI microdramas also suggests audiences may welcome some AI-made content.
The case against
Cinema audiences pay for a coherent, distinctive experience, and this film’s weak box office and criticism of its plot and scenes suggest that lower production costs alone cannot deliver one. If AI reduces the need for skilled workers while producing work viewers find awkward or interchangeable, it could weaken both filmmaking jobs and the qualities that make cinema worth paying to see.
Explained simply
AI-generated films use artificial intelligence to create images, sounds or other parts of a production. In Sanxingdui: Future Past, AI made the visuals and some sound effects, while people edited the film. It draws on Sanxingdui, an archaeological site in China known for ancient artefacts.
Chinese film investors are interested in AI because it could reduce production costs and the number of staff needed. AI-made short dramas for phones are already a sizeable industry in China, but cinema is a different business: audiences pay for a ticket and expect a distinctive experience. The debate is whether AI can help make films that people want to watch in cinemas.
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