People in China earn between US$7 and US$15,000 by licensing faces to AI content producers

In China, an increasing number of digital face-licensing platforms are connecting ordinary individuals with content creators, enabling them to authorise the use of their likenesses in AI-generated short dramas, s, and games.Since April, private “face-selling” transactions that once circulated within film and television industry chat groups have progressively transitioned to public platforms.One bank employee reportedly earned nearly 2,500 yuan (US$370) after an advertising company acquired his portrait seven times within just three days, as reported by the National Business Daily.Among the leading platforms, Shenzhen-based Yuanxiang Xinsheng, launched in May, allows users to create “digital actor profiles” following registration and identity verification.Users can specify terms such as usage duration, prohibited content, and secondary adaptation rights, with authorisation fees varying from 50 yuan (US$7) to 99,999 yuan (US$15,000).AI short dramas are exploding in China as creators leverage facial licensing to slash production costs and bypass traditional acting. Photo: BilibiliOn the platform, a 34-year-old man surnamed Chen charges 99 yuan for a single use of his face, permitting appearances in romance and family-themed productions while rejecting horror and sexually explicit content.Kele, a woman from Guangdong province in southern China, joined the platform to protect her digital identity. “I no longer worry about AI stealing my face. If someone wants to use it, they should pay me,” she stated.