Recently, on some short video platforms, a "shocking" scene occasionally pops up: As the camera sweeps across a room, dozens of computers are arranged on the table, with live-streaming hosts selling goods in real-time on the screens, yet the caption reads, "It's terrifying! A 200-square-meter live-streaming base is empty, with only AI digital human hosts broadcasting." However, when the camera focuses on the computer screens, upon closer inspection, these hosts appear as lifelike as real people.
Since the advent of ChatGPT, there has been renewed attention and heated discussion surrounding artificial intelligence, prompting many industries to accelerate their "intelligent" transformations. In the realm of live-streaming commerce, the emergence of "AI digital human hosts" has been notable. Reporters have observed that in some companies in Jinan, AI digital human hosts have begun to replace real people in live-streaming rooms.
So, whose jobs will AI take away this time? Some enterprises in Jinan are using "AI digital human hosts" to replace real people in live-streaming rooms.
Virtual Hosts Take the Stage in Batches
"The digital human live-streaming has been tested for three days and has been stable, with no system issues or platform violations," said Chen Lei, the general manager of Maimang New Media, who has been deeply involved in the self-media field for over a decade. When "AI digital human hosts" emerged, he quickly recognized this new trend.
Chen explained that digital humans are not a new concept, with previous virtual idols like Luo Tianyi and Liu Yexi gaining immense popularity. However, there are differences between them and the currently popular digital human hosts.
AI digital humans, also known as "2D ultra-realistic digital humans," resemble ordinary people more closely and can easily be mistaken for real individuals if not scrutinized carefully. "With AI technology, a virtual digital human can be generated, or a real person can be 'cloned,'" Chen cautioned, adding, "Compared to the former, the latter carries risks such as infringing on portrait rights."
A few days ago, Chen officially introduced "AI digital human hosts" into live-streaming rooms. "Various water parks are about to become consumption hotspots. We've posted group-buying links in the live-streaming room and used 'AI digital human hosts' to provide automatic explanations," he said.
Chen also pointed out that the current capabilities of "AI digital human hosts" are limited, resembling more of a "recorded broadcast" in form, or simply put, a "mouthpiece" for real hosts. "The effect of a single digital human is limited, so many companies now have multiple digital human hosts online simultaneously," he added.
24-Hour Non-Stop Live-Streaming
In Chen's view, the reason for choosing "AI digital human hosts" is simple: they are cost-effective.
Over the years, live-streaming hosts have become a regular position in many companies. Reporters found on some recruitment platforms that in Jinan, the monthly salary for hiring a host ranges from several thousand to tens of thousands of yuan. "And that's just the base salary, usually with commissions on top," Chen explained, adding that hiring experienced and mature hosts is even more challenging, with high human resource costs for enterprises.
In contrast, the advantages of "AI digital human hosts" are particularly evident. Reporters found that the annual service prices for digital human host services on the market generally range from several thousand to tens of thousands of yuan, with some even as low as a few hundred yuan. Moreover, they are "indefatigable," capable of live-streaming 365 days a year, 24/7, without the need for social insurance or commissions.
However, Chen also admitted that after testing, "AI digital human hosts" can indeed solve the problem of host manpower but pose higher requirements for operations. "Without guidance in the comment section, it's difficult to achieve conversions solely relying on digital human hosts," he said.
Therefore, Chen believes that "AI digital human hosts" are not a panacea and should be viewed rationally at present. "They cannot completely replace humans but can only replace some 'novice' hosts," he said.
Digital Humans Bring New Business Opportunities
Recently, Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok) released platform regulations and industry initiatives regarding AI-generated content, responding to widespread concerns about virtual human live-streaming, AI-assisted content generation, and traffic support for AI content, while imposing corresponding restrictions.
"The industry generally believes that this is the first pass issued by the platform, and the restrictions also imply standardization. More platforms are expected to follow suit and express their positions," Chen said, adding that "AI digital human hosts" may see faster popularization.
To date, multiple internet giants have entered the market. In late February this year, Tencent released the AI intelligent creation assistant "Tencent Zhiying," aiming to enable everyone to create digital humans. As early as last year's Baidu World Conference, the "Baidu APP Digital Human Plan" proposed achieving "one digital human per person." Furthermore, business departments in cities like Nanjing have launched digital human-related entrepreneurship plans to help merchants go online and develop.
Chen also shared the latest digital human host business on his social media, offering a special price of 2,980 yuan for a one-year usage right of 60 minutes and 20 shared digital human hosts, along with online learning courses and 1-on-1 technical service support.
"Many concepts used to be just passing fads, but the industry is generally optimistic about 'AI digital human hosts' at present," Chen boldly predicted, adding that digital humans may become a standard feature for companies in the future.