For Lu, who asked to be identified only by his surname, crying on demand is already a challenge — but doing it in front of a camera while trying to match an “optimal emotional curve” set by AI? That feels almost impossible.

For a start, the data makes no sense to him. After analyzing hundreds of clips of dramatic scenes, the AI system has plotted a curve along an XY axis, with time on the horizontal and expressions on the vertical. At peaks and troughs are instructions such as “show restraint,” “erupt,” and “furrow your brows.”

The actor rechecks the AI-generated script he was sent: “Minute 3 to 4: emotional breakdown.” His knuckles whiten as he grips his phone, forcing down whatever is rising in his throat. Now, even his expressions of pain are expected to conform to machine-calibrated measurements.

For a scene at a screen test, Lu was instructed to slap the face of another male actor, who was suspended on wires at a height specified in an AI-generated visual design. Even on tiptoe, Lu couldn’t reach him — he had to jump just to brush the man’s face with his fingertip

For the next scene, they moved to an outdoor location for an AI-devised stunt in which Lu had to look like he was leaping onto the back of a horse. The storyboard, which also had been drawn using AI, showed that the actor had to lift his left leg, with the director adding that it should be “at a 45-degree angle,” as this would look better on camera.

In another script, Lu was cast as a takeout delivery driver. The AI had written in two key actions: “throw helmet” and “curse loudly.” Before the first take, Lu was nervous. He had secretly asked AI about the role himself and was told that an “80% anger level” was required and that “object-throwing scenes go viral.”

However, he hadn’t considered how bouncy the plastic helmet might be. When he threw it, it ricocheted like a rubber ball, and Lu couldn’t suppress his amusement. The AI system gave him an “emotional alignment” score of 45%, and the director accused him of deliberately goofing around. “Maybe we shouldn’t rely exclusively on AI feedback. Shouldn’t we consider your instincts, too?” Lu had said, attempting to smooth things over. The director just smirked and replied, “My instincts are about the same as the AI’s.”

China’s over adoption of AI into every facets of life is so dire bro .

This article is mostly about the experience in the ultrashort drama scene which is already algorithm optimized bullshit, hopefully they don’t actually use this for real movies.