Chinese streaming platform iQIYI has announced a slate of over 350 AI-assisted titles for 2026/27, including its first hybrid AI multi-season drama. The company is scaling its use of generative AI in production following the commercial success of its series The Ferry Man.
The rapid cost recovery of The Ferry Man provides a rare financial benchmark for generative AI in longform streaming, suggesting that AI-assisted workflows can significantly shorten the path to profitability. By integrating professional actors with synthetic environments in Immortals Over Mortal Love, iQIYI is testing the technical limits of hybrid production at scale. This move signals a shift in the Chinese market toward lower-cost, high-volume content creation to capture youth demographics. Industry observers should monitor the Q4 2026 premiere of their hybrid drama to see if AI-heavy aesthetics maintain the high engagement levels required for multi-season renewals.
The broader industry is increasingly focused on AI microdrama production as a viable strategy for rapid content deployment.
iQIYI has announced a massive expansion of its AI-assisted content slate, featuring over 350 titles through 2027. This strategy follows the rapid profitability of The Ferry Man, which recouped costs in seven days. The initiative aims to capture youth demographics by testing hybrid production models and high-volume, lower-cost content creation.
iQIYI plans to release over 350 AI-assisted titles through 2027.
The Ferry Man is a financial benchmark for generative AI in streaming, having recouped its production costs within seven days of its release.
Immortals Over Mortal Love is scheduled to debut in Q4 2026 as a 16-episode series.
Cinematographer Peter Pau is providing creative guidance for the nine feature-length AI films selected by the platform.
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