AI Avatars Outperform Human Influencers in Chinese Livestream Sales Surge

In China, AI-generated avatars have outperformed human influencers in livestream shopping, with a recent event hosted by renowned livestreamer Luo Yonghao and co-host Xiao Mu using Baidu’s generative AI technology. Their digital avatars sold over $7 million worth of products in just seven hours—far exceeding Luo’s previous personal performance. The rise of such digital influencers points to a major shift in China’s livestreaming and e-commerce landscape due to technology that reduces operational costs and enables 24/7 streaming. Despite initial skepticism, analysts now see generative AI avatars as increasingly effective, although regulatory compliance and platform rules remain hurdles. Livestreaming has become a cornerstone of China’s e-commerce industry, but high return rates and varying platform regulations present ongoing challenges.

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