The 2026 iQIYI World Conference took place in Beijing, drawing the presence of Liu Wenfeng, Senior Vice President of iQIYI, and Xie Danming, Vice President and Chief AI Scientist, who both engaged in insightful dialogues. At the conference, iQIYI revealed that more than 100 celebrities with whom it has deep collaboration have consented to join its AI agent platform, the Natto Pro celebrity database. Nevertheless, this announcement triggered controversy as several celebrities who are not part of this initiative posted statements clarifying that they 'have not signed any AI authorization agreements.'

Liu Wenfeng underscored that the fundamental commercial logic for actors remains intact. He argued that integrating real faces into AI-generated works could significantly enhance their popularity. AI, he explained, not only streamlines efficiency but also serves as a complement to creative originality. He envisioned a future where audiences evolve alongside AI, and the commercial value of AI-generated content will gradually gain widespread recognition.

iQIYI also announced the official commercialization of Natto Pro. The platform had commenced pre-commercialization in March and now consolidates various resources. Xie Danming elaborated that Natto Pro has integrated mainstream large-scale models and incorporated its proprietary Qizhi large model. It offers services at prices that essentially cover operational costs, aiming to foster the growth of the creator ecosystem.

Liu Wenfeng further stated that Natto Pro is accessible to creators across the entire network, providing revenue-sharing subsidies and support policies for published works. Xie Danming highlighted that the platform is versatile, capable of covering multiple roles in film and television production, and is compatible with both long-form and short-form video creation.