On April 20, news about "iQiyi's AI Actor Database" became a trending topic on Weibo, sparking widespread discussion. In response, Gong Yu, founder and CEO of iQiyi Inc., published three consecutive posts on April 21, stating: "Technology is people-oriented and always serves humanity. Technology is never meant to replace humans." Regarding the most debated issue of actor authorization, Gong explained: "On iQiyi's Natto Pro platform, there is a list of actors. This only indicates their willingness to authorize AI creation. They have merely expressed an interest in negotiations. Our established rules are the same as live-action filming: whether an actor agrees to participate in a project and which role they play requires their consent. The intermediary remains their agent or agency—the business model remains unchanged. We aim for a smooth transition to AI. If an actor consents to authorization for a specific project and role, it does not imply agreement for any other project or role. This is entirely consistent with current industry practices." Concerning profit-sharing mechanisms, he noted that if such a system is established in the future and a production generates higher revenue and profits, producers and investors would share proceeds with actors. All parties are aligned for long-term, mutual benefits. These aspects require exploration, but the fundamental business model should transition smoothly rather than undergo disruptive changes. "IP and computing power are resources we can support to form a closed loop, with economic returns reinvested into creative development."
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