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Everyday individuals in China are doing just that by licensing their likenesses to artificial intelligence (AI) creators
Since April, this niche practice — once confined to private industry group chats — has exploded onto public digital platforms, according to the South China Morning Post.
A woman named Kele joined one such platform to take control of her digital footprint and protect herself from unauthorised scraping.
"I no longer worry about AI stealing my face. If someone wants to use it, they should pay me," she told SCMP.
This booming tech trend allows people to set their own rules and fees, authorising the use of their digital faces in short dramas, games, and advertisements
On platforms like Yuanxiang Xinsheng, users can create highly customisable digital actor profiles. Fees range from a modest 50 yuan (RM31) to 99,999 yuan (RM62,000).
The financial incentives are clear. According to the National Business Daily, one bank employee earned 2,500 yuan (RM1,570) after an advertising firm bought his portrait seven times in just three days.
Meanwhile, another platform, Xinzhua, boasts around 370 profiles with fees reaching up to 6,000 yuan (RM3,770) for various usage scenarios.
Despite the excitement, legal experts are raising red flags about privacy, consent, and lopsided contracts that heavily favour platform operators
Users could face steep penalties of 50,000 yuan (RM31,400) for prematurely withdrawing authorisation, all while effectively waiving their personal rights.
Even with these risks, the allure remains strong. As one user remarked online, "Ordinary people can finally realise their dreams of becoming actors, and we have found a way to make money while lying down."
