AI-generated Xiaohai avatars sell overpriced products to older Chinese users
World
AI-generated avatars called Xiaohai, usually posing as teenage boys in school uniforms, have been popping up all over Chinese short-video platforms.
They share emotional stories to win sympathy from older users, then use that trust to sell overpriced products.
The trend has exploded, especially among middle-aged and elderly people.
Mainland platforms remove most Xiaohai videos
These Xiaohai accounts have pulled in huge numbers, with their videos racking up over 600 million views and creators reportedly earning thousands of yuan a day.
But concerns about fraud and emotional manipulation have led most Xiaohai-related videos on mainland Chinese short-video platforms to be taken down.
Now, concerns have been raised about regulating AI-generated sales content.