'AI-simulated human short dramas are poised to become a significant trend in the foreseeable future.' This was the bold claim made by Tang Chao, the General Manager of Beijing Jutou Technology Culture Co., Ltd., at a recent industry conference. Since the start of this year, the AI short drama sector has experienced explosive growth and undergone profound changes. According to DataEye, among the top 100 manhua (Chinese comic) dramas in January 2026, the proportion of AI-simulated human short dramas skyrocketed from just 7% last year to a staggering 38%. It is projected that by 2026, the user base for AI manhua dramas (which encompass AI-simulated human short dramas) will balloon from around 120 million in 2025 to a massive 280 million, with the market size expected to soar to RMB 24 billion. However, the AI short drama industry has a notably low barrier to entry, with a staggering 90% of companies operating at a loss and a hit rate of a mere 0.16%.